Fallen
by Luthien Luinwe
Summary: The Hero has been defeated, and Ganondorf rules over Hyrule. However, all hope is not lost. A resistance is rising against him, though their last hopes remain prisoner in the castle. Can they rescue the Hero and the Princess before it is too late, or will Hyrule be forever doomed under evil's rule?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 **Link**

The rain poured as the Hero fought on. He was exhausted, more exhausted than he had been in his life, but still he continued. Link had to win, had to defeat the Demon King who had taken so much from the Light and Twilight realms, who had taken so much from Link himself. He had thought the battle won when he defeated the beast, Ganon. He had allowed himself to feel relieved, to let his guard down. He had longed to run to Midna, to tell her everything was all right, she could return home again.

He remembered the crushing feeling defeat when he saw Ganon rise again, when he had attacked them and Midna had sent himself and Zelda away. Link looked the Gerudo in his eye as they fought, wanting nothing more than for everything to be over, for it to end. And Link fought recklessly, without the skill or finesse he had picked up on his journey to that point. Technique didn't matter, not when he was out for blood. Ganondorf had killed Midna, and Link had to avenge her.

He was breathing heavily, and his clothes were soaked from sweat and from rain. His sword felt heavy in his hand. He lunged forward, imagining the Sword of Evil's Bane piercing Ganondorf's armor, ending everything once and for all. The Gerudo laughed and stepped aside. They had been fighting for what seemed like hours, and Link wondered how the man had not tired. Though, Link had been the one largely on the offensive.

He swore under his breath, realizing he had been toyed with. The man before him had fought this battle before, had fought the previous Hero, the one who had trained Link himself. He had been a fool not to recognize that Ganondorf was purposefully reserving his energy, saving his strength while the Hero exhausted his.

He saw the blade before he felt it, heard it scrape across his skin. It had happened so suddenly, he hadn't had time to react. He cried out and stumbled back, only for the larger man to push him backward, onto the wet ground. He gasped for air, the wind knocked out of him. "And here I thought you would be a challenge," Ganondorf laughed darkly, towering above the Hero on the ground. From the corner of his eye, Link saw Zelda, shouting something he could not make out, watching as she tried in vain to get through the magic barrier.

He cried out again when the Gerudo stepped on his chest, feeling sick to his stomach when he heard and felt his ribs snap under the weight. "Pathetic," Ganondorf shook his head. "That _this_ is the best the Gods were able to come up with to defeat me." He chuckled and lowered his blade to Link's throats. The Hero took in a sharp breath and tried to move away, only for Ganondorf to slash his blade across the Hero's face. The Hero hadn't expected that move, and cried out once more."And where are my manners?" he questioned and snapped, the magical barrier disappearing. "Of course the Princess should watch the last hope her kingdom has die."

"Please," Zelda begged and ran over to them. Link wanted to call out, to tell her to run far, far away, but the words wouldn't come. His eyes re-focused on the blade at his throat, and he tried to think of a way in which both he and Zelda could live through the encounter, though no idea or plan would come. "The people will never follow you," she said to the older man. "Spare him, and I will back you."

"Zel..." Link started to say, but was meant with a harsh kick to his side. The pain had caught up to him, and he wanted to scream, to beg for it to end, though no sound escaped him. Black spots clouded his vision, combining into one, and the Hero drifted into unconsciousness, wondering if he would ever wake again.


	2. Ashei

**Chapter One**

 **Ashei**

She had been watching the battle from her vantage point on the castle, keeping a close eye on Link, and hoping more than anything that the Hero would be successful. Still, it had gone on far longer than it should have, and she couldn't shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach that something had gone horribly wrong. She and the others had held off the monsters in the castle, but if Link were to fall... She didn't want to think about that. No, she couldn't think about that. Too much was at stake for him to fail them now.

And yet... She watched on, more in shock than in horror, as the green-clad figure, so very far away, but still in her line of sight, fell to the ground, the Demon King towering over him, Princess Zelda watching helplessly from the wrong side of the magical barrier. She swore, but didn't have time to process what had happened. She needed to get the others out of the castle, to tell them to run far, far away, out of the kingdom even if they could manage it. She was by no means the oldest of the Resistance, but no one questioned who was in charge. She had taken the lead early on, giving pointers to Rusl on his swordsmanship, even managing to teach Shad some basics of self-defense. She carried herself with the authority only a leader could carry, and she had gained their respect alongside it.

"Get out!" she shouted to Auru, the one closest to her. There was still a chance Link could get back up, but Ashei was not about to risk the others staying around to find out. "Find Rusl and get out." Her heart sank in her chest. She knew how close Rusl and Link had been, and if Link had truly fallen for good... No, there wasn't time to think of such things. She watched as Auru ran along the rooftops, no doubt in search of their companion, and she carefully climbed down.

They had put a plan in place, in the event of failure, though no one had thought they would need to use it. After all, Link had even survived being shot into the sky by a giant cannon. Surely facing off against Ganondorf would have been easy... She shook her head and focused on finding the others. She needed to see that they were okay, physically if not mentally. She sprinted to the edge of the castle grounds and climbed the wall, grateful that, at least for the time being, the monsters were still gone. She knew it would not last though. No, if the Demon King had prevailed, they would return, and they would be out for blood. They could not afford to waste time. They could worry about saving the rest of the kingdom after they worried about saving themselves. They were no good to anyone dead.

She sprinted away from the place, wishing she had brought a horse along. The rendezvous point was still a good ways away. She couldn't even see it from where she was. She hoped Shad had made it out safely. She was fond of the scholar, but he couldn't fight his way out of a wooden crate. Still, they would need his brain, his and Auru's. She and Rusl could fight. Auru had once been able to, but his age was preventing him from doing as much as he once had. Still, though she could fight, she valued the insight Shad and he could provide, the strategies they could form.

Ashei breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the others at the hideout, the place where Ashei's father had once trained young soldiers-to-be, at least before her father had left Hyrule for the mountains. Auru had suggested they return to Telma's bar, but Shad had argued it to be too risky, that everyone knew the Resistance took up headquarters there. It would be one of the first places Ganondorf destroyed, she had no doubt. She saw Telma, sitting next to Rusl, the man looking nothing short of stunned. She glanced over at Auru, who shook his head, sighed and sat as well.

"Is it true?" Shad asked, looking over at her. The others turned to face her as well, Rusl looking at her in desperation. She didn't want to destroy their hopes, but she did not wish to lie to them either.

"I was high up, yeah?" she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She hoped she had not called their retreat too soon, though if she had, that meant Link was still alive, that they could still fight the great evil and save the kingdom, save thousands of lives.

"That's not an answer," Shad sighed, not breaking his gaze. She sighed and nodded, unable to bring herself to say the words aloud. She shut her eyes when she heard the strangled sound escape Rusl's throat, and took a long, deep breath before opening them once more. She hoped more than anything that she was wrong, that this was all some dark nightmare she would wake up from, and that everything would be better in the morning.

She sighed deeply and more collapsed than sat on the ground. They couldn't stay in the place long, and she knew it. Rumors would spread that the Resistance had lived through the encounter at Hyrule Castle, and Ganondorf's forces would be searching high and low for them. That was a problem that could wait for another day, though. For now, they needed to rest, to think, and to mourn their fallen friend.


	3. Zelda

**Chapter Two**

 **Zelda**

The bells had rang all day, low and solemn, mourning the loss of the Hero along with the peace of Hyrule. Ganondorf had insisted they be played, to set his tone of authority over the realm. Only they knew that Link had lived, and she was certain the man would want to keep it that way. Clad in black, Zelda stood at the window of her tower, looking out at the grounds below. She had begged the Demon King for mercy for the Hero, and he had obliged, though she wondered if Link would have been better off dead. She watched the rain fall from the sky, thinking it fitting. It was as if the Goddesses themselves were weeping for the destruction of all they had worked so hard to create.

She had promised to ally herself with the Gerudo, something she hated herself for. She hoped, though, that she would be able to keep some resemblance of stability in her kingdom. The man was cruel, she knew that to be true, but she doubted he was after total destruction. He had gotten his revenge, though centuries later than anticipated, He had defeated the descendant of the Forgotten Hero, who had been responsible for the sages sealing him away in the Twilight Realm. Still, she had heard stories, legends of the man's ruthlessness, of the lengths he was willing to go to get what he desired. And not knowing what he was after terrified her more than anything else in the world could.

She jumped and turned to her door when she heard it click open. It had only been hours since Link had fallen, and yet everyone in the castle had already submitted to their new roles, to serving the King of Thieves. How fitting, she thought, that he had stolen the Crown. "His Grace has requested your presence," the guard said.

Zelda shut her eyes and took a deep breath, wondering why he would be calling upon her so early. Hearing the guard refer to Ganondorf as 'His Grace' had unnerved her more than she would ever admit to. The man had done nothing to earn the grace of the Goddesses. She held a hand up to stop the guard from escorting her. "I know my way around," she snapped, glad that he, though reluctantly, backed off.

She made her way through the corridors leading to the throne room, a journey that had once been peaceful, and that now filled her with nothing short of dread. She hoped Link was all right, though she sincerely doubted it. Ganondorf had promised to spare his life, nothing more. She doubted he would let his centuries-old foe get away easily, if at all, even if the foe was a mere descendant, not the one directly responsible for sealing him away. She was lost in her thoughts as she walked, wishing more than anything she had not surrendered Hyrule to Zant. How foolish she had been to think she would save the lives of her people through that action. How could she have known she would cost thousands more?

A shudder went down the Princess's back when she saw Ganondorf sitting on the throne, as though it had been made for him and him alone. The smirk on his face did nothing to quiet her nerves. "How nice of you to join me," Ganondorf said, his voice full of pride. Zelda kept her eyes on the floor, not wanting to anger him by daring assume to make eye contact. "Now, now," the Usurper tutted. "There's no need to be upset. You have your life. And if they bend the knee, you'll have your kingdom as well. Though, of course you will not be ruling it."

She did not speak, largely out of fear of the unknown of how he would react. Hesitating, she glanced up at the man, who was waiting expectantly. "Of course, Your Grace," she said softly, hating herself for using the title, the title that by birthright should have belonged to her. She did not dare do anything but play his game, though, especially not when Link was being held at his mercy. As long as Link lived, there was still hope of defeating the Demon King, of regaining the throne, of saving Hyrule and her people.

"I have invited the Zora monarch and Goron patriarch to the castle," Ganondorf said, the smirk still not leaving his face. "Their choice is simple. They will come and bend the knee, or they will watch their people die." He was silent a moment and glanced over at her. "I extend the same invitation to you."

"I have already promised to stand beside you," Zelda said, keeping her voice as even and calm as she could manage, despite the hatred and terror she felt building inside her.

"Yes," Ganondorf agreed. "But the people of your precious kingdom need to know for sure, need to see you pledge your loyalty to your king." He leaned back in the throne, studying the Princess carefully. "You will join the others," he continued. "Or you will watch your people suffer." She bowed her head slightly, hoping that if she went along with the plan that lives would be spared. She just needed enough time to free Link, to find the others, to organize a strike... But it had only been hours since the battle, and already the Gerudo was keeping close watch on everyone, had sent out scouts to eliminate any adversaries he had had in the past.

She lifted a silent prayer to the Goddesses, to any gods who would listen, that she had not handed a death sentence to her kingdom when she surrendered to Zant.


	4. Rusl

**Chapter Three**

 **Rusl**

He woke, hoping beyond hope that the events that had transpired had been nothing more but a dream, rather a horrific nightmare. He would wake in his own bed at home, his wife's smiling face there to greet him. He would eat with his wife and son, they would discuss their plans for the day, he would ask Uli about the baby who was to be born any day, he would kiss her, and he would leave for work. Link, who he had raised and loved like a son, would run into him on his way to work at the ranch, the two would chat and smile, and they would repeat the cycle again the next morning.

But none of that could ever happen again. Link was dead. He had fallen at the hands of the Usurper King, Ganondorf. Ashei and Auru had seen it themselves.

They had taken refuge in an abandoned military training post, but they could not stay there. Already, Ganondorf had sent scouts to kill all who had stood in his way. They were not safe in Hyrule. They were not safe anywhere. They planned to make their way south, through Ordon, so that Rusl could take his family with him into hiding. There was no doubt in his mind that they would be harmed, should he not be found. From there, they would proceed to the wetlands of the south, where they would wait for their moment to strike the castle once again. They were severely outnumbered, though, and he doubted they would ever have the numbers needed for a victory.

He had tried to withdraw himself, to keep alone with his thoughts. Link had been so very young when he and Uli took him in. They had been young themselves. He had just turned twenty, and Uli was merely eighteen. They had recently wed, and had not planned on having a child for several years. But when Link's mother, a close friend of Uli's, passed when the boy was only five or six, they had taken him in willingly, raised him as their own. He sat on the ground with his head in his hands, wondering how he was supposed to break the news to her, or to Colin, who had adored the Hero.

He sighed when he heard someone sit beside him. He did not need to check to know that it was Auru. Ashei had been studying maps since the Resistance had arrived at the hideout. Shad had been advising her on the best locations to avoid capture, and Telma had gone back to her bar, trying to keep the trail off of them.

Auru sighed deeply and was silent for a long moment before speaking. "None of us expected this," the older man said. Rusl nodded, but said nothing in reply. "He was in his prime, and in practice. We all thought victory would come easily." Rusl nodded again, wondering if the man's words were supposed to bring comfort to him. If so, Auru was doing a poor job. "There is nothing that prepares you for such a tragedy," he continues. "No words of comfort strong enough to dull the pain." The older man turned to face Rusl, who reluctantly met his gaze. "I pray that the Goddesses bring you comfort."

"Fuck the Goddesses," Rusl spat into the ground. He had never been a religious man, and what had transpired was not going to convert him. The Goddesses, if they existed, were nothing short of cruel, cruel to take Link at such a young age, cruel to allow Ganondorf to rule over the kingdom, cruel to allow so many prayers to go unanswered, to allow so many lives to be lost, and to remain silent.

Auru sighed deeply, but said nothing, something Rusl was grateful for. He had learned as a young man that silence was sometimes the most comforting thing one could offer. When Link's mother passed, there had been no words Rusl could say to ease the boy's distress, his pain, his sorrow. He had simply been around, even if silent, allowing the boy to know he was not alone.

He glanced over at Ashei, who approached him with Shad at her side. "We leave at nightfall," she said. "Rest up. We will not stop until we've put several leagues between us and this place." Rusl sighed and leaned back on his elbows, watching the sky above. They only had a few hours before the sun would set, by his gauge. He was grateful she had taken the lead. He had trained under a royal knight, but strategy had never been his strong suit.

"I'll take the watch," Rusl volunteered and stood. Ashei started to protest, but he held a hand up to silence her. He doubted he would be able to sleep anyway, and he might as well be of some use to the group. "Rest. You'll need it to navigate us away." Ashei reluctantly nodded and sat on the ground. Rusl grabbed his sword and sat as high up as he could manage, keeping a close eye on his surroundings. He almost wished the Demon King himself would arrive, just so Rusl could plunge his sword through the man's chest himself.


	5. Ganondorf

**Chapter Four**

 **Ganondorf**

Finally, after long last, Hyrule was his to do with as he pleased. Farore and Nayru's chosen ones were at his mercy. All pieces of the Triforce were his to do with as he pleased. Nayru had been wise, as always, to choose Zelda once more as her own. At least the Princess had been wise enough to succumb to his rule when she saw no way around it. The boy however, he would take time to come around. But there was no doubt in his mind the boy would come around.

To think all those years ago, he had been bested by nothing more than a child. But none of that mattered anymore, not when he held the descendant in his clutches. He smirked as he strode down to the castle dungeons. He had instructed his minions to leave the boy unharmed. His mothers had always taught him to do his dirty work himself. It would be several days, if not weeks, before Ralis and Darbus were scheduled to arrive, plenty of time for the Demon King to have a little fun with his new toy.

He headed to the cell, the same where Link had been held during his first journey into Twilight, and smirked when he saw the boy chained to the wall. How stupid Farore had been to choose yet another of the same bloodline. The previous Hero had gone mad, the one before him had died of an infected wound. Not that Ganondorf was at all surprised. _Voe_ were weak. He had been taught so every day of his young life, and had been taught to overcome it. His smirk broadened when he saw the glare on the teen's face. "I see you are awake," he crossed his arms, but did not open the cell door.

"Fuck you," Link growled, his blue eyes shining with pride. Ganondorf wasn't worried about that, though. The pride wouldn't last long. Though he may have been able to channel some of the boy's inner aggression to his advantage.

"Now is that any way to speak to your king?" the man asked and stepped into the cell. Link struggled against his chains, but to no avail. Ganondorf was pleased to see his monsters had gotten something right for a change. If everything had gone according to plan, he would have never even had to face the Hero, let alone in a one-on-one sword fight outside of the castle. But that had been the past, and none of that mattered anymore. He could have ensured Zelda's loyalty, even without the boy, but it was much more fun to watch them both suffer. Link continued to glare, but said nothing in response. "Now then," the man knelt to the boy's height. "You're going to tell me some things."

"Like hell I will," Link struggled once more, and failed yet again. Ganondorf tutted and slammed Link's head against the stone wall, laughing when he heard a sickening crack and the boy's scream. He watched as the boy whimpered in pain, amazed that he had remained conscious from the blow. Though, he figured Farore would not let her chosen one lose consciousness that easily.

"A mistake I will forgive you for once," Ganondorf said, forcing Link to look into his eyes. "Next time, such insolence will not be met with such mercy." Link growled again, but said nothing. _Good,_ the Gerudo thought. _A fast learner._ "Your friends," the man drawled and grabbed Link's shackled wrist. "Tell me their names." He rolled his eyes when the boy said nothing. "Now boy, this can be as easy or as difficult as you make it be," he said, slowly bending Link's hand backward. The boy winced, but still said nothing. "Just the names," Ganondorf continued. "There's no harm in that." Still, silence. He rolled his eyes and snapped the boy's wrist backward, laughing when the boy screamed yet again. "You'll come around, boy," he said and stepped back.

He watched as the boy continued struggling. "Move all you want," he said, boredom in his tone. "Even if you manage to break free, you have no weapons, and you have no way of wielding them with that broken wrist." If he did not know better, he would have sworn he heard the boy growl. Perhaps he had spent too much time in his beast form. "For what it's worth," he said as he left the cell, locking the door behind him. "I would have given you the gift of death. The Princess insisted I let you live. I thought it best to keep her happy."

He was not worried about the stupid boy, not in the least. He had no way out, and even if he found one, nowhere to go. He pocketed the key and left the dungeon, studying the castle walls as he moved. He would have to have the Hylian crests taken down, burned even. It would set a better tone, after all. He had sent word to his fellow Gerudo, what remained of them at least, to join their King in their new kingdom. Those he had grown up around were long dead, but their descendants, however distant, lived on. Together, they would destroy the old world, the world built in the light of the Golden Goddesses, and build a new world in his image. As he had promised the boy, he would take his foul blade and blot out the light forever.


	6. Shad

**Chapter Five**

 **Shad**

Ever since he had been a young boy, Shad had been nothing short of fascinated by... Well, anything and everything. His father, a scholar of the ancient Oocca, had always encouraged his curious nature, though he knew most days it drove his mother mad. He had been more intrigued than terrified during the Twili invasion, excited to see what new experiences and laws of nature would come with a different realm. Though, he soon realized the grave danger the kingdom was in. When he had stumbled upon Telma's bar one rainy afternoon, he had never expected his life to change so dramatically. Telma had casually mentioned the Resistance to him. He had thanked her, but informed her he was not much of a fighter. She shook her head, told him it was all right, and that they could use brains like he had.

They had spent months planning a strike, and after months of planning had gotten no closer to a feasible plan than when they had begun. He had treated Link horribly the first time they had met. _'Well, what have we here, hm?'_ He had asked, a smirk on his face. _'That's quite an outfit you have on, old boy. That timeless design... You're sporting the legendary Hero_ look, _aren't you?'_ Goddesses he had been such a pain to him. His words in of themselves had not been offensive, but the tone he had used... He wished he could apologize for his rudeness, but that could never happen, not after what had occurred. He had doubted Telma when she said the Ordonian would have been of use to their group. Ashei had fought it from the beginning. There was no possible way he could have known Link was the true Hero chosen by the Gods.

Of all of the situations they had imagined, they had never even considered a scenario in which Link would die at the hands of the Evil King. They had never entertained the possibility that Hyrule would actually fall.

And yet, it had been mere days since the defeat, and already the realm was in chaos. They had fled south, were making their way out of the kingdom with plans to find Rusl's family along the way, and already they saw the destruction the Demon King had brought with his newly found reign. During the day, when they slept, they feared ambushes from monster encampments. During the night as they traveled, they risked attack from Stal enemies, beings Shad had thought fairy tales parents told their children at night to scare them into behaving. He never imagined they would have been real, or that they would have posed as much of a threat as they did. He was relieved, at least, to see that the villages and towns along the path were still intact, unharmed, and had noticed Rusl shared the sentiment. If these villages were still standing, Shad had no doubt Ordon was as well.

He tried to keep Ashei company. Rusl and Auru had one another to lean on, to commiserate with. Shad had known no one when he had come to Castle Town, and Ashei had not even been brought up in the kingdom proper. He had tried to speak with her, to keep her mind off of things, but he had been dismissed each time. He could only begin to imagine how she must have felt. It had been her plan to strike the castle early, to keep the monster hoards off Link so the Hero could focus on Ganondorf and Ganondorf alone. By the time Link had made it to the throne room, they had run out of ammunition, and their weapons had been all but broken. Had they planned better, Link may have lived.

The sun was beginning to rise, and the group set up camp in a cave away from the road. Shad sighed and sat down, grateful for the relief of some rest, though still wary of ending their day's journey so soon. It had gotten riskier and riskier to travel closer to the daylight hours, though. Still, each day that passed brought a greater probability of walking into destruction, greater probability of walking to their deaths.

"He was always such a lively boy," he had overheard Rusl speaking to Auru. Days had passed, and it was the firs the had heard anyone speak openly of their fallen friend. "That always amazed me. He was a bastard, never knew his father, and his mother died of a horrific illness... And yet he seemed so happy as a boy."

"We were all happy as boys," Auru sighed and leaned against the cave wall. "When you're a boy, your biggest worry is not falling out of a tree, breaking your arm, and being scolded by your mother.. If you're lucky, you become a man and your biggest fear is falling out of a tree, breaking your arm, and being scolded by your wife."

Shad thought he saw the ghost of a smile on Rusl's face. He watched as Ashei sighed and sat across from the two men. It never ceased to amaze him how well she got along with them, how natural conversing with them seemed to come to her. And she was a woman. He was a man grown, and still struggled to connect, to form bonds with them. "He was a good guy, yeah?" she asked, looking into Rusl's eyes.

"Really was," Rusl sighed and stared up at the ceiling of the cave. "Hard-working, polite, a little reckless, but he was a teenager..." the man trailed off. It was cruel, Shad could not help but think, that the Goddesses always chose such young ones to be their chosen ones. If memory served, the Zelda and Link, long forgotten by most, who had been responsible for sealing Ganondorf into the Twilight Realm had been ten years of age at most.

"You lot get some rest," Auru said after a long moment of silence. Shad still had yet to figure out if he enjoyed the silence or not. Each time, it was heavy, filled with the things they wished to say, but no one dared to say. In those moments, their shared sorrow and mourning hung over them, crushing them with its weight until someone finally broke it. "I'll take first watch."

Shad sighed and lay on the stone floor, staring at the stone ceiling. He doubted any of them had slept well since the defeat. Ashei had been too preoccupied with blaming herself for their joint failure. Rusl had been mourning a lost son. Auru was no doubt worried for Zelda, who he had tutored and loved as if a family member, and Shad had been to busy worrying about everyone else. He sighed deeply and shut his eyes, sending a silent prayer to whatever Gods or Goddesses that may or may not have existed, that some glimmer of hope would be revealed to them.


	7. Link

**Chapter Six**

 **Link**

His arms ached like nothing he had ever felt before in his life. He was not entirely sure how long he had been in the cell, if it had been days, or even weeks. His wrist throbbed, and his head felt like it might explode. None of that had been as bad as he had imagined, though. No, the sleep deprivation had been far, far worse. And without any clues from the light, he felt as though he was slowly losing his mind. His thoughts were fuzzy, and his memory untrustworthy at best. Ganondorf had not returned since breaking his wrist, something he did not know if he should be grateful for or terrified by.

"Hush," he tensed when he heard a soft, female voice speak, when he felt a calloused hand grasp his injured one. "No sounds." He detected an accent, though he was not certain he could place from where. He lifted his head, despite the agony the motion caused, to look at the woman in the cell with him. He had never seen anyone quite like her. She was tall, easily taller than him, with a muscular build and tanned skin. Her bright red hair was tied back into a ponytail, tied with a ruby. "No one must know," she pulled a flask from her hip. Link could not help but notice her clothing, or rather lack thereof. The woman dressed in a tight-fitting top, barely covering her breasts, and covering nothing of her midsection. On her lower half, she wore loose-fitting pants, something Link felt odd for a woman. "Drink," she held the flask to his lips.

He hesitated, but doubted he would get the chance to drink anything in the near future, given the circumstances, and drank, coughing almost immediately at the taste. He had expected water, not sour wine. Still, he drank though, grateful for some relief from the thirst that had been slowly eating away at him. "How?" he managed to choke out, his blue eyes meeting her pale, green ones.

"You mean to ask how I entered?" the woman pushed his hair from his face and set the flask to his side. He nodded, wincing at the pain the motion caused his head. "That is not for you to worry about." Link sighed in defeat and hung his head once again. He had been foolish, truly foolish, to believe he would be told anything. "Now," she placed a hand under his chin. "There is no need for sadness." He frowned in confusion and reluctantly met her gaze once more. "I am here to help," she smiled and smoothed his hair back once more with her spare hand.

He frowned in confusion once more, unsure of whether to trust her or not. "Why?" he asked, trying to study her face closely. Everything was so foggy, though, so unclear. His head was swimming, and could not make sense of anything going on around him.

"There are others," he felt her hands move to his hips. "They cannot hide forever, but we can protect them."

Link nodded. It made sense. Surely the woman was impersonating one of Ganondorf's people to help the Resistance. Telma must have heard of what had happened by then. She must have sent the woman to him. He tensed though, when the woman began to unlace his shirt. "What are you...?" he started to ask, but was cut off by her.

"Hush," she whispered into his ear. "No words." She rested her hands on his chest and traced his muscles, and he moaned against his will. It was not the time nor the place. He needed to focus on escaping, on figuring out why the woman was there, not on anything else. "I can protect them," she trailed a hand down his chest, causing him to moan once more. "But not if I do not know who they are."

Link gasped softly when she bit a sensitive point on his neck. Surely there was no harm in giving her the names of his friends... She had come to help him. She had risked sneaking into his cell to bring him something to drink, to tell him he had friends remaining. She had brought the exact opposite of the pain Ganondorf carried with him. "Just their names," she kissed near his throat. "And I can keep them and you safe." He doubted she would do much herself. Women were not meant to fight as men did. Still, it was possible she knew people who could help, people who could end the Demon King's reign. Still, though, he hesitated. "Even one little name," the woman rested a hand on his inner thigh. "Their leader, perhaps."

He shut his eyes. The wine had gone to his head faster than he ever would have imagined, the woman's actions making it hard to focus. "Ashei," he spoke, an almost dream-like quality to his voice.

The woman smiled and kissed along his jaw. Instinctively, he tilted his head back. "Good," she spoke softly against his skin. "And where has she gone?" He thought he saw the hand that had been on his hip move to her side, but he was certain it must have been a trick of the light. "South," he answered, willing to take the chance that she would save them, that she would keep them safe. She had risked everything to come to him... Yet her actions made no sense. They had never met, and she had gone straight to this...

"To your home?" she asked. He frowned, wondering how she would have known that, but did not question it. Already, he felt better than he had since his defeat. He nodded slightly, and frowned once more when the woman stepped back.

"You did well to tell me these things," she said. Link could have sworn he saw a smirk on her face. "Until we meet again," she kissed his forehead and left the cell, the Hero still chained to the wall, half-clothed.

It was not until long after she had gone that he had realized she had left through the open cell door, or that she had locked it behind her.


	8. Zelda II

**Chapter Seven**

 **Zelda**

It had happened almost overnight. One moment, the castle was full of Hylians, of those she had grown around, who had helped raise her. She had been foolish enough to believe Ganondorf would let them continue in their positions, that he would let the higher-ups leave with their lives at least. Goddesses, she had been so naive. She had watched on in horror as the commander of her Royal Guard alongside her royal advisors were hanged

He had sent word to the desert for the surviving Gerudo to join him, his new kingdom, and they had come without delay. Zelda could not remember ever seeing so many women in one place at one time, let alone so many deadly weapons. All were armed, and all seemed unafraid and willing to use them. She had heard rumors that only one Gerudo male was born every century, but she had never dreamed that to be an accurate statement. She was unsure to be pleased or terrified that the text had been accurate.

She still wore her black mourning clothes, still covered her head with a black veil. Less than a fortnight had passed, and Ganondorf had already removed any trace of the Royal Family ad their crest from the castle. She had no doubt the symbols would be removed from the remainder of the kingdom as well.

Slowly, she made her way to the throne room, to Ganondorf's throne room. Mercifully, he had allowed her free reign of the castle, save for the dungeons where the defeated Hero was kept. If she remained loyal, he had promised to let her roam un-escorted as well. She entered the throne room, and reluctantly knelt before the wicked man sitting before her. "Your Grace," she greeted, trying her best to keep the venom she felt from her tongue.

He smirked and leaned back in the chair. Zelda had noticed he was always in armor, though she could not fault him for that. As evil as he was, the man was not stupid. He knew he had enemies that could strike at any time. Two Gerudo women were at his side, one standing, one sitting next to the throne, though she noticed Ganondorf sat with enough room for another upon the throne. "You kneel before Ganondorf Dragmire," the standing woman spoke, pride in her tone. "First of His Name, King of Gerudo and of Hyrule."

"Rise, _Princess,"_ the man spoke, using her title as one would a curse for the Goddesses. She stood gracefully, keeping her expression as neutral as possible, even despite the hate she felt growing within her. "It seems as though the Zora prince and Goron patriarch have declined our invitation."

"I am saddened by such news," she replied, knowing it was the only safe response. She was grateful they remained in their respective locations. The Zora could always abandon their domain for another water-covered region outside of Hyrule, and the Gerudo would be foolish to take military action against the Gorons.

"Not to worry," Ganondorf waved a dismissive hand. "We will deal with them in time." She heard footsteps behind her, and watched as Ganondorf's gaze left her and focused to her left. She turned slightly to see another Gerudo woman approaching the throne, not kneeling before Ganondorf as she had seen the others do, save for the two at his side.

" _Sav'aaq,"_ she greeted the usurper. Zelda quickly looked her over. She was younger than Ganondorf, but older than herself. Instead of carrying a long, curved blade as she had seen the others carry, she had a dagger at her hip.

" _Sav'aaq,"_ Ganondorf nodded approvingly. The Princess watched as the woman sat beside the Demon King on the throne, as the woman smirked down at her before turning back to the man.

"I bring information, blood of my blood," the woman spoke, half-looking at Ganondorf, half-looking at Zelda. Ganondorf nodded thoughtfully and motioned for her to continue. "You were right," she spoke. "The _voe_ is weak, as all are, save for you." A shudder went down Zelda's spine. She held no doubt in her mind they were discussing Link. "The Resistance travels south, toward the Hero's former home in the Ordon province." Zelda shut her eyes and stared down at the floor, wondering what would have caused Link to reveal such sensitive information, to sell out his friends, the ones who had been at his side through the invasion plan... "A _vai_ by the name of Ashei leads them," the woman continued.

"Well done, blood of my blood," Ganondorf responded and turned to face the Gerudo sitting beside the throne. "Gather your best. Burn every village between here and there to the ground. Show the people that everyone suffers when a few rebel." Zelda could not help herself from glaring at the man, though for once he paid her no mind. "Take who you can from Ordon prisoner," the man continued. "We will publicly execute anyone found to have assisted this little _resistance."_

"At once, blood of my blood," the woman stood and left the room. Zelda's mind raced. She had to find a way to send word to her supporters, to warn them of what was to come... But it was risky, perhaps to risky to even try. She needed to get to Link, to know what had caused him to reveal their location, to make sure he was even still alive...

"You did well, Amunet," Zelda watched as Ganondorf pulled the Gerudo sharing the Throne onto his lap, as the woman smirked down at the Princess and rested her head on the Demon King's shoulder. "Worry not, Princess," he spoke directly to Zelda, causing nothing but more hatred to spark within her. "This is just the beginning."


	9. Ashei II

**Chapter Eight**

 **Ashei**

She had always hated traveling, more so than just about anything she had hated in her life. She knew it was a necessary evil, though. They couldn't stay in any one place for too long, not when Ganondorf was surely after their heads. And so they traveled, avoiding the roads as best they could, though sometimes, as was the case that day, they were forced onto them. She walked alongside Shad, Auru behind them, and Rusl ahead. She held no doubts that she could out-fight any of the bunch, but a woman in armor was already suspicious enough to a traveler. She did not need to be leading the group on top of it. And so she walked, her arm around Shad's, as if they were a young couple enjoying a nice evening together, though she kept her free hand close to the concealed dagger on her hip.

"We should be nearing Faron Woods," Rusl spoke, turning to face them. "From there, the trip to Ordon is less than a day." Ashei glared at him and shook her head. They could not risk strangers overhearing their destination. Ordon Village was known to be the home of the Hero. They had a lead on Ganondorf's forces, she was sure of it, but that could all disappear so suddenly... They had failed once, and she was not keen to fail again. "My apologies," he sighed deeply and focused back on the road ahead. She knew he meant well, she really did, but Godesses she wished he could keep his mouth shut. Though he was not nearly as bad as Shad, who seemed to refuse to leave her alone.

They walked in silence for a time, until they were able to walk off-road once more. "We set up camp here," Ashei said, once they had found a secluded area. "We should make it out of Hyrule Field by tomorrow. For now, we rest."

"Aye," Auru nodded and lowered his sack of things to the ground. She had been nothing short of impressed of the older man since they had begun their group. He had been a tutor of Princess Zelda's, a scholar like Shad, yet he had still committed himself to learning the art of combat, and even in his more advanced age, still trained relentlessly, something she held nothing but admiration for. Shad helped the man set up the camp while Ashei and Rusl rationed out what remained of their food.

"Still no fires," she said to the man, who nodded understandingly. They had passed a small settlement on their journey that day. She hoped the light from it would attract unwanted visitors to the villagers, not to her team. They could not risk a wrong move, not again.

They ate, and she leaned against a tree, taking the first watch. They had had no trouble since beginning their journey, something she was grateful for, though she had not expected it. Things had been too calm, too quiet. She watched as the three men slowly drifted off to sleep, glad to see it for them, if not for her. Sleep had evaded her, despite her complete exhaustion. It seemed an eternity before Shad came to relieve her. Hesitant to leave the boy alone, given his lack of combat skills, she still left and lay in the grass, finally letting sleep take her.

She had been asleep less than two hours when she woke with a start. Something was wrong, she knew it in her gut. She swore when she saw flames in the distance and leaped to her feet. "I said no fires!" she snapped and turned to where she had left Shad, but the boy was not there. He was standing, several feet away from the camp, staring at the flames in the distance. "No..." she breathed and moved beside him, feeling sick to her stomach when she saw the settlement they had passed going up in flames and smoke, ash covering the sky and falling to the ground near them. "Why didn't you wake us?" she demanded.

"There was not time," the boy replied, shaking his head. He was deathly pale, but Ashei did not have time to worry about his well-being. She ran to Rusl and shook his shoulder, watching as the man frowned and sat up. "We need to leave," she said, keeping her voice down, but keeping a sense of urgency all the same. "Wake Auru, yeah?" She waited for confirmation, which came in the form of a nod, before drawing her sword from her travel sack. She doubted whoever had burned the village had gone far, and she doubted they would be friendly to a suspicious group of travelers.

"And what have we here?" a chill ran down Ashei's spine when she heard the accented voice behind her, when she saw the glimmer of moonlight reflecting off a blade from the corner of her eye. "A pretty little _vai_ covered in armor barking out orders?" She spun on her heel, sword at the ready, and looked over the woman who had been behind her, a Gerudo if the history books her father had made her study were of any merit. Ashei watched as the woman smirked, and four others emerged from the trees and shadows, two with curved blades, two with spears, none wearing armor.

"Three _voe_ and a _vai,_ " another Gerudo smirked. "Hardly a fair fight." Ashei's eyes flashed, and she lunged at the woman to her left, years of training combined with instinct taking over. She rarely had to think when fighting. After all, she had done nothing but drill with various weapons since she was a young girl. The Gerudo had reach with the spear, but she had speed. She saw Rusl from the corner of her eye, taking on two of the warrior women on his own. Even Shad had picked up a weapon. She could not focus on what they were doing though. She needed to focus on keeping herself alive, on keeping as many away from the others as she could.

The Gerudo to her immediate left lunged with her spear, but missed, just barely. Ashei took the opportunity and swung her blade at the woman's leg, knocking her to the ground, blood rushing from the wound. It was not lethal, but it would slow the woman down. She turned to face the woman to her right, noting the blade she carried, a curved, single-handed weapon. Ashei had no doubt it could take her head in one fluid motion. The woman swung the blade, and Ashei ducked below it, breathing a sigh of relief that she was still breathing, only to swear when an arrow flew just past her, missing her armor by a fraction of an inch.

"Sorry!" Ashei swore when she heard Shad apologize. At least he was trying to provide support. She figured something was better than nothing, even if she did doubt the boy had ever wielded a bow in his life. Still, the arrow had taken the Gerudo woman by surprise, and Ashei was able to thrust her sword through her belly. The red-headed woman The red-headed woman looked at the wound in surprise, before collapsing when Ashei reclaimed her blade. The Resistance leader breathed a sigh of relief when she saw two more of Ganondorf's supporters on the ground, either unconscious or dead.

"One left!" Rusl shouted across the field to her. She nodded and glanced around for her, swearing when she saw nothing. The man moved closer to her, standing at her back. She nodded approvingly and scanned the area, looking for any sign of the missing woman.

"No," she breathed in horror. The woman was nowhere in sight, but a trail of blood lead away from their campsite, a trail of blood beginning with an elderly man lying on the ground, a blade buried in his skull.


	10. Ganondorf II

**Chapter Nine**

 **Ganondorf**

He woke with a start when he heard someone enter into his room. If they were interrupting him at such a late hour, it had better have been something good. "Apologies, blood of my blood," the female voice said. Ganondorf glanced over at her, trying to figure out which one of his advisors had felt the need to intrude. Niset, he decided after a long moment, the one he had sent to deal with the brat in the dungeon's little friends. "Princess Zelda's former tutor is dead," Niset continued, leaning against the door frame.

"And the others?" Ganondorf pressed. It was all well and good that they had one less Resistance member to deal with, but Auru had certainly been the less threatening of the bunch. If he did not know better, he would have sworn the woman in the room with him was covered in blood.

"Still living," Niset sighed, and the King felt a surge of anger rush through his veins. He had entrusted the job to her, his most skilled fighter, assuming she would take her best fighters alongside her. They should have annihilated the pitiful Resistance. He threw his blanket to thes ide and stood. To her credit, Niset did not so much as flinch. "A necessary loss, blood of my blood," she continued. Ganondorf crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow before motioning for her to continue, eager to see how she would attempt to talk her way out of the situation. "They will be lulled into a false sense of security," Niset continued. "They had anticipated a more difficult fight, and Auru's death will throw them off their game. They should arrive in Ordon Village any day now, and we will burn them to the ground."

Ganondorf nodded thoughtfully, having serious doubts that that had been the original plan. Still, there was still a chance they could crush the Resistance before they gained more people, before they became a serious threat. "We will speak more of this after daybreak," he waved a hand, dismissing her, and watched as she left his presence. Shaking his head, he laced up a shirt and boots before leaving his bedchambers. He doubted sleep would return to him that night, and so he was going to be productive.

He took a candle from a wall and carried it down the cold, stone stairs leading to the dungeon. Amunet had been brilliant in getting the Resistance leader's name from the Hero, but the time for being kind to the insolent Hero had long passed. There were still more players in the game, he was certain of it, and they could not afford to let their threats go unknown for much longer. Each day he reigned, his enemies became stronger, came one day closer to ending his reign.

He raised the candle to the lock on the cell, inserted the key, and stepped inside, pleased to see the Hero sound asleep, vulnerable. Amunet had unchained the boy from the wall and re-shackled him to the floor. The boy was curled up on his side, his back to the wall. The King had to admire the boy's instincts, of at least keeping his face turned toward the cell door. Ganondorf set the candle down and kicked the boy in the chest, smirking when he woke, crying out in pain and gasping for air. The boy looked up at him, and the King smirked when he thought he saw a glimmer of fear. "Your friends are dead, _Hero,_ " he smirked and kicked him again, watching as the boy writhed in pain.

"You're lying," the boy said through gritted teeth, though there was doubt in his tone. Ganondorf smirked and forced the boy into a sitting position, making sure his arms twisted in ways they were not intended to.

"I am a lot of things, _Hero,"_ Ganondorf spoke, venom in his tone. "But a liar is not one." He picked up the candle again and held it over the boy's bare torso. "But there are more, are there not?" He saw a slight change in the boy's normally guarded expression, and smirked. "Where are they?" The boy said nothing, but hissed in pain when the hot wax from the candle dripped onto his chest. "You really do need to learn to be more cooperative." "Come now," he shook his head. "We'll find out one way or another. If you tell us, we'll make it quick for them." The boy hissed again when another drop of wax hit him.

"Fuck. You," the boy glared. Ganondorf rolled his eyes and tilted the boy's chin up, forcing the boy to look him in the eye. He knew it would be difficult to break the boy down. He had been chosen by the Goddess of Courage, after all. But all men broke eventually.

"One more insolent comment," he said, keeping his voice low. "And I can assure you you will wish I would have killed you in the battlefield." The boy tried to squirm away from him. Ganondorf sighed and wrapped his hands around the boy's throat, smirking as the boy gasped for air, tried to claw at his hands. The Demon King smirked and lifted the boy by his throat, laughing when he heard a loud pop come from his shoulder, as the boy's face turned white. "You know how to make this stop," the man said, the smirk never leaving his lips. He let the boy suffer a moment. He was not going to kill him, but he could certainly make the brat believe he would. It was not until the boy's face started to turn from deathly pale to purple that he let him fall to the ground.

The Hero lay on his side, gasping for air. Ganondorf leaned against the cell wall, watching. The boy choked something out, but the King did not quite hear it. "I'm sorry?" he knelt beside the boy. "I didn't quite catch that."

"Telma," the boy choked out, shutting his eyes tightly.

The King smirked and forced the boy to look at him once more. "You did well to tell me this, boy." The boy tried to shut his eyes again, but cried out when the Demon Lord back-handed him. "I am a reasonable man," he continued. "I reward those who give me valuable information." The boy continued glaring, but said nothing in response. "Keep this up, and you will be rewarded." He threw the boy back to the ground and left, locking the cell door behind him. The boy would break, and when he did, Ganondorf would be able to use him to his advantage. He would not have to destroy the boy's friends. He could make the boy do that himself.


	11. Zelda III

**Chapter Ten**

 **Zelda**

Dead. She was not told when, she was not told why, and she was most certainly not told how. Not that she needed to know. She sat on the edge of her bed, running a hand through her long hair, thinking about how unfair the entirety of a situation was. She had known Auru since she was a young girl. He taught her histories and legends and arithmetic... everything she would need to be a fair and just ruler of her kingdom. He had been old even when she had been just a small girl. He should have lived in happy retirement, content with his services to the Royal Family, gone peacefully in his sleep...

The Resistance was down one member, and Ganondorf and his minions knew where the others were headed. Three villages had already been burned to the ground, alongside one town. Niset had seen to that. She had learned early on that only the Usurper King's advisors could speak freely around him, that they did not have to kneel, that they were treated as equals to the king himself. And their cruelty never ceased to amaze her.

Niset could kill without batting an eyelid. Emita was as ruthless as she was power hungry. Still, the one that scared her most was Amunet, who would act as a friend, a confidant, to those around her, and then use the information she had gained against them. "His Grace has requested an audience," one of the Gerudo said upon entering Zelda's room. The Princess sighed and stood, smoothing her gown down as she moved.

Once more, the Demon King sat upon the throne, Amunet in his lap, Emita at the bench by his side, and Niset standing, spear in hand. He smirked down at her, and she tried to keep her expression as neutral as possible. She may have lost her freedom, but she would sooner be damned than lose her pride on top of it. "As you know, _Princess,"_ he spat out the title. "We conducted a raid on Castle Town late last night."

"I am aware, Your Grace," she spoke softly. She had seen the smoke from her chamber in the keep, heard the screams of countless innocents being slaughtered, or burning alive from the fires.

"Tell me, Princess," the man continued. "How it is you still have supporters?" he crossed his arms and leaned back in the throne. Auru would have scolded her had she dared show such a lack of respect to the throne and all it represented. "I have taken heads. I have burned settlements, and yet they still support you."

"I do not know, Your Grace," she spoke softly once more, despite knowing the answer. She had made mistakes in her short reign, as all rulers did, but she had still been merciful, been loved. The Usurper was none of those things.

"Not to worry," Ganondorf spoke. "Your precious little Hero has led us to the root of your little insurrections." Zelda bit her tongue to keep from speaking. The man was a liar, she knew that. She did not know Link well, but she knew he would not give such information freely, at least not willingly. He was a man of honor who would never betray his friends. "At sundown, your precious people will witness what happens to those who stand against me." He was silent for a moment, the smirk still plastered upon his face. "You are dismissed."

She turned on her heel, returning to her chambers. "He is a liar," she told herself. "Nothing more." She doubted they had really apprehended someone. If they had, he would have ordered them dead on sight. Still, she could not shake the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that his words were true.

Sundown came far too soon, and the Princess was escorted to courtyard by two of Ganondorf's warriors. She had to admit she held some respect for the Gerudo women, who dedicated their lives to the art of combat and warfare, skills she had never learned, and that no one had thought necessary for her to learn. After all, Hyrule had lived in peace for centuries after they had sealed the King of Thieves away...

They stood before a platform, the very same she had seen her father stand upon when executing the King's Justice. How wrong it felt, seeing her tormentor standing in the place reserved for the rightful monarch, his three advisors standing at his side. The crowd was large, and the Princess had to keep herself from laughing humorlessly. The people still enjoyed executions, it would seem. In a twisted way, it was almost comforting to her, knowing that some things never changed.

"People of Hyrule," Ganondorf addressed them. Zelda noted that he still wore armor, rather than court finery. She was unsure if his styling choices were a matter of safety, or a matter of showing authority, perhaps both. "There are some among you who would dare to defy your king."

"No," Zelda breathed in horror, keeping her voice low enough to not be overheard by the Usurper. Two Gerudo guards escorted Telma, clad in chains, to the platform. She was the only link the Resistance had to Castle Town, to the politics inside of the castle. Without her, failure was near certain...

"Telma," Ganondorf spoke to her. "For your crime of treason against the Crown, I, Ganondorf Dragmire, First of My Name, do sentence you to die."

The Princess watched in nothing short of sheer horror as one of the guards forced Telma to the ground, her head on the block, while the other swung a two-handed weapon down, and fainted before she could see the woman's head separate from her body.


	12. Rusl II

**Chapter Eleven**

 **Rusl**

The journey from the woodlands to Ordon Village had been full of silence and regret, regret that they had not been faster, fought harder, regret that they had lost their companion, their friend. Still, though, they walked on. "He'd be a fool to attack us twice in one span," Rusl sighed when they sat to take a break from the road. Something still unsettled him about the attack, though. Auru had warned them all that the Gerudo were notoriously good fighters, all trained from childhood. And yet, his group had defeated them.

"He is a fool, though," Shad commented and sat, leaned against a towering tree. Rusl knew the clearing well. He had often practiced his swordsmanship in the place. It was far enough from home to give him some time alone with his thoughts, but close enough that he could return quickly. "We know that."

Rusl watched as Ashei sighed and pulled out her map from her satchel. "We are not far now," he said to her. "We should be there before daybreak." He was so close to seeing his wife again, to seeing his friends. He only wished the children would be there as well, and he prayed to the gods that Renado would keep them out of the Usurper King's clutches. He had already lost Link, and he doubted he could handle losing Colin as well.

"We take anyone willing to leave," Ashei spoke after a moment. "We do not force anyone wanting to stay and die in their homes to come with us." Rusl nodded and sighed deeply, knowing some would insist upon staying. Bo and Fado would want to learn to fight, to stand up against the Demon King. Jaggle and Pergie would want to avoid peril. Sera would question the presence of a real threat, though, he had no doubt, and would insist upon staying. He glanced over at the map she was holding. It was not of Hyrule, at least not that he recognized, but of some surrounding land. He hoped it was a map of where they were headed.

"Even if any of them fight," Shad began. Rusl glanced over at the boy. He had to have been young, Link's age, maybe a bit older. When they had first met, Rusl had noticed the boy's lack of confidence, but over time, he had watched him grow into a man. "We still will not have the numbers we need to confront Ganondorf." The scholar pulled out a book from among his things, one of Auru's, Rusl noted. "The Gerudo nearly died out after he was sealed away, but they have had time to rebuild, to repopulate. I'm certain he will bring them all here."

"We will figure something out," Ashei sighed and stood, collecting her things as she moved. "For now, we need to worry about getting as much distance between us and them as we can." She turned to face Rusl. "You know the way better than we do. Lead."

He nodded and got to his feet, navigating through the familiar Faron Woods. He had never felt more relieved in his life than he had when he saw the rickety suspension bridge connecting the Faron Province to Ordon, to see that there was no sign of destruction, at least not nearby. He stopped, though, when they reached Link's house, and admired how the structure had not changed, despite the chaos going on in the world around it. He felt queasy knowing the boy would never inhabit it again, would never come home, would never have a wife, children... He continued onward to the village proper, though. There was no time to dwell on such thoughts, not when time was of the essence. Too much dawdling could result in another attack from Ganondorf's forces.

"Rusl," Bo greeted as soon as the man was within earshot. For the first time in Rusl's memory, he saw the grim expression upon the mayor's face. In the time Rusl had lived in Ordon, he had always known the man to be jovial, maybe even a bit incompetent. "I am glad to see you alive."

"Could say the same to you," Rusl sighed and glanced around the village, relieved, at least for the time being, to see that the chaos and destruction plaguing the land had so far avoided his home, though he knew it would not last long. "These are my friends, Shad and Ashei," he introduced the two standing behind him. "Shad is a scholar, and quite possibly the most intelligent man I know. Ashei is a skilled fighter and leader, one of the bravest people I have ever met."

"A pleasure," Bo nodded toward Rusl's companions. The swordsman was glad Bo did not comment further. He knew the group was pathetic at best. They were a swordsman, a fighter, and a scholar. Three individuals would be unlikely to instill fear in Ganondorf's heart, Rusl knew that, but they had to work with what they had, had to grow, had to become stronger if they were to have any hope at success.

"My wife?" Rusl asked after a long moment of silence. He wondered if she had been told of Link's defeat, of the fall of the kingdom. He had no doubts Bo knew, but that the mayor had decided to remain silent on the matter, at least for the time being. He hated to think that Uli had been alone, left to her grief with no one to comfort her. At least he had had the company of the Resistance.

"In your home," Bo answered. Rusl nodded and turned to face his home. It had seemed lifetimes ago that he had helped to build it, that he had taken Uli as his wife. Times had been simpler, happier back then. "Go," Bo smiled slightly, and Rusl all but ran to the place.

He took a shaky breath and opened the door, relief flooding over him when he saw his wife, sitting in her chair, mending an old shirt as if nothing had changed. She was not her usual, happy self though. She seemed older, more frail, and he noticed her hands shaking as she worked. Still though, her face lit up when she saw him, and he pulled her into a tight hug. "Is it true?" she asked, her voice shaking.

He could not bring himself to say the words, to tell her that the boy they had raised like a son had left the world, had been taken by the cruel goddesses who were too obsessed with playing their twisted little game to worry about the people of the world. Reluctantly, he nodded, and felt his heart tear in two at the sound of his wife's sobs.


	13. Link II

**Chapter Twelve**

 **Link**

He had not eaten in days, or at least he hoped it was only days and not weeks. They gave him only enough water to keep him alive. Still, though, for giving Telma's name, they had popped his shoulder back into place, had let him bathe, and he figured that was something. His broken wrist still throbbed, and his arms ached from the various stress positions the Gerudo kept putting him in, lately with his arms twisted behind his back.

He hated himself. He hated himself for selling out his friends, and he hated himself for having let them down, for having been defeated in the first place. It was his fault the kingdom had fallen to Ganondorf's control, and he knew it. He was reminded by it every second he sat chained up in his cell.

He had tried to attack one of the Gerudo when he had been unchained to bathe, but in his weakened state, he was easily taken back down. He wondered if the Demon King had been informed. He doubted it, though, as he had been left alone in the cold, damp room, watching the rats run past him, and some try to run onto him. The only light came from a flickering torch, one Ganondorf liked to take away from time to time just to mess with his head.

Link hated the darkness. He always had. It unsettled him, not being able to see what was going on around him, not being able to see the walls, doorways, people, enemies... A strangled noise escaped his throat when he saw the torch go out once more, but did not see who had taken it away. The Demon King had always looked him in the eye as he took the light away and left. His advisors had always smirked and laughed at his distress. Always, though, they took the torch with them. This one just blew it out.

"It's all right," he heard a soft, female voice say. He knew it from somewhere, but could not quite place it. Something told him it was friendly, though that same voice in his head that told him that was the same that assured him Amunet had been friendly, that she would really help his friends. And that had gotten Ashei and the others killed. He shook his head and backed as far away as his restraints would let him, until he hit the wall. His arms throbbed from being bent at angles they should not have been bent at. "I will not hurt you." He shook slightly, but nodded, despite knowing the woman could not see him. He knew she could not have been Gerudo. No, the accent was all wrong. By his best guess, she sounded like some highborn lady, like...

"Are you mad?" he managed to choke out. His throat still ached from where Ganondorf had nearly strangled him to death in order to retrieve Telma's name. There was no way Zelda could have gotten to him safely, not when he knew she was being watched constantly, not when he knew Ganondorf's closest allies were everywhere, that they knew everything. "You'll be caught."

"I was not seen," Zelda assured. "And you need to speak softly. We cannot risk being overheard. Not now." He nodded and made a mental note to speak in a more appropriate volume. If they were to be discovered... No. He could not think about that. Zelda was lucky she had not been put in a similar position as himself. Still, though, the Usurper's words rang in his head. _'I wanted to give you the mercy of killing you.'_ It had been Zelda to insist he be kept alive... If it were not from Zelda, he would not be living the hell he was living... "I never could have imagined this would happen," the Princess continued.

"Why are you here?" he finally asked, looking in the direction of the voice, hoping to see a shadow, a hint of light, anything to assure him he was not hallucinating, though the darkness revealed nothing to him.

"Telma is dead," Zelda spoke, keeping her voice calm and even. Link shut his eyes tightly and let out a shaky breath. He knew it could not have been long before their ally was discovered, but he never would have dreamed it would happen so quickly. "Auru as well."

"I know," he spoke softly, trying and failing to keep the pain from his voice, trying to spare her feelings. She was the only one Hyrule had left, the only hope of peace returning to the kingdom, of Ganondorf being sealed away once and for all. "They all are."

"No," Zelda argued. He wished he could see her, to see her facial expressions to know if her words were true or not. "Ashei, Shad, and Rusl still live, as far as I know." He started to say something, but he was cut off by her. "Whatever they told you was a lie. They are liars and you cannot believe them." Link nodded again, forgetting she could not see him either. "I will not lie to you. Things are only going to get worse for you from here on out."

"Then help me get out of here," he begged, hating himself for it. He had tried everything he could think of, but nothing had worked, at least nothing he could do on his own. But if Zelda had managed to see him, she could manage to help him escape...

"You know I cannot do that," Zelda sighed. "Not without risking everything we are working so hard to do." She was silent a long moment. "They need us to buy them time, Link, enough time to get out of his reach and build up their numbers." She sighed, and he felt a hand brush the hair from his face. "Stay strong, Link," she said softly. "They will come for you."

He shut his eyes tightly and listened as her footsteps retreated away from him, though she left him in the dark. He started to wonder how she would find her way back out, back to the light he missed so terribly, when he felt a tightness in his chest. He was never getting out, at least not in the near future, maybe not any future. Zelda had abandoned him, and his friends believed him dead. A sob caught in his throat, and the Hero broke.


	14. Ashei III

**Chapter Thirteen**

 **Ashei**

She had expected Ordon Village to be small. Still, she had not expected it to be quite _that_ small. She had assumed Rusl had been talking of his friends when he had told her who would fight and who would stay, not of the village in its entirety. The numbers would not work in their favor. No, they would need more than themselves, a rancher, an out-of-shape mayor, a shop-keeper's husband, and a pumpkin farmer could offer, especially when most of the villagers were already preoccupied with worries of their missing children, children Ashei could not risk going after with the current circumstances.

"I don't like this, Mayor," she heard one of the villagers, the short pumpkin farmer, say. "Being led by a woman? She should be married, raising kids by now, not leading a rebellion."

Her eyes flashed and she approached the pair, arms crossed, carrying herself with pride. Rusl had warned her that the villagers tend to keep to more traditional roles and values, but she had not expected them to be so vocal about it, especially in the current circumstances. "This woman," she began. "Has held a sword in her hand since she was five, yeah?" She smirked slightly when she saw his shocked expression. "And you are not being forced to go. You can come with me and learn to fight from a woman, or you can stay here and die when they inevitably burn the village to the ground." She watched as the man muttered out an apology before she turned to the mayor. "Gather everyone. We need to discuss what is going to happen in the next several days."

The Mayor nodded. "I'll have them meet in my house," he spoke before walking off to gather the others. Ashei shook her head and headed in that direction. If she had years, months even, to train her team, they would at least stand a chance. They did not have that luxury, though. Each day they trained, each day they remained off grid, Ganondorf grew stronger, and his forces became closer to cornering them.

She sighed and watched as everyone filtered into the house, and knew the going would be slow for quite some time, especially given Rusl's wife's condition. "We leave at nightfall," she declared once everyone had arrived.

"And what about the children?" the pumpkin farmer's wife questioned. "How will they know where to find us?"

"The children are safe under the care of Kakariko Village's shaman," Ashei was grateful that the Mayor had spoken up. "He is a good friend of mine, and I know he will protect them, even with his life if it comes to that."

"Our main focus needs to be on reclaiming this kingdom," Ashei said. "Ganondorf is ruthless and will stop at nothing to defeat us. His forces will be here any day now to burn this village to the ground for no reason other than the fact Link grew up here." She sighed when she saw several of their face's fall, when she heard a sob catch in one of the women's throats.

"And why should we be fighting your battles?" the shopkeeper questioned. "Why do we care what happens in Hyrule if we leave the kingdom?"

"Ganondorf will not stop with Hyrule," Ashei shook her head. "He will not stop until everything is destroyed or under his command, whichever happens first. None of us are safe so long as he sits on that throne." She let her words sink in a moment before continuing. "Even with all of you, we do not have nearly enough people to defeat him and his Gerudo warriors."

"Please," the pumpkin farmer rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows what remain of the Gerudo are just some women."

"Women who have trained to fight every day of their lives," Ashei said in a cool, even tone. "Women skilled in archery, swordplay, mounted combat, spear usage, throwing weapons, and hand-to-hand combat. For generations, they were feared by even the bravest soldiers. Even the Sheikah held a healthy respect for them." She took a deep breath before speaking again. "Like it or not, you are all involved now. You became involved the second the Gods decided to choose one of your own as their Chosen Hero. You became further involved when he fell at the hands of the Demon King."

"You expect us to believe those children's stories?" the man questioned.

"Jaggle," Rusl finally spoke. "Enough. Do not tell us what is real and what is not when we have seen it with our own eyes. These women are dangerous, their leader doubly so. Ashei has proven herself as a strong leader, and we can all benefit from what she has to say."

"Thank you," Ashei sighed in exasperation. "As I was saying. We need more fighters, and we are not going to find them outside of the kingdom proper. The surrounding kingdoms are leagues away, and we could not reach them in what little time we have to prepare. We need someone to go back into Hyrule to recruit."

"I could do it," the rancher volunteered, raising his hand. Ashei smiled slightly, glad to see that at least one of the villagers had his wits about him. "I blend in well enough. Not to mention no one really distrusts a goat rancher."

"That may be," she replied gently. "But being from this village already marks you as suspicious. People will assume you are trying to avenge your friend before you can get any words out. Even if you were to lie, the accent would give you away. Besides, I need you to learn to fight." She turned to face Shad, who was leaned against a wall, jotting down what she hoped had been notes of the conversation. He had been one of the first friends she had made since coming to the kingdom from Snowpeak. He was young, around Link's age, but intelligent and non-threatening.

"Me?" he blinked and turned to face her. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"I mean no offense," Ashei spoke, and meant her words. "Right now, you are our weakest fighter. No one would question a scholar traveling the land." He sighed and nodded, pushed his glasses up and motioned for her to continue speaking. "Go. Find those who hate the King as much as we do, those who have lost loved ones in the Twilight Invasion. When you are certain, and _only_ when you are certain, tell them who you are and how to find us. Understood?"

"Understood," he nodded and pocketed the book he had been writing in.

"The rest of us will continue south come nightfall," she concluded and sat down.

"There is nothing south of here," the shopkeeper said, shaking her head.

"There are no civilizations immediately south of here," Ashei corrected. "Which is exactly what we are looking for. No civilization means more wilderness, which means more cover for us. If we continue south for long enough, we should find a safe enough location to prepare our strike on the castle." She was silent a moment, taking in the faces of those present, noting the fear and apprehension on many of them. "I cannot guarantee all of you will survive," she said. "But if we do not do this, I can guarantee none of you will survive." She sighed deeply and stood. "You have until nightfall to decide if you are with us."


	15. Zelda IV

**Chapter Fourteen**

 **Zelda**

It had been risky, far too risky for her own liking, to visit Link in his cell. Ganondorf had eyes everywhere, she knew that first hand. She could not so much as blink without him knowing about it. He had replaced her guards with his own people, and had replaced her ladies in waiting as well. Still, he would never know the castle as well as she did. She had lived there all her life, studied its layout under various tutors. She knew every nook and cranny, every passageway, and had managed to find one the Demon King had not yet found.

She shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if his guards had been stationed on either end. It would have meant death, or at the very least extreme suffering, for her, she held no doubts of that. She had had to see Link, though, to make sure he was alive, though she knew he would be far from well. It had been a stupid decision, she knew that, but she still would have gone back and done it all over again.

She sighed when she heard her door click open, watched as one of the Gerudo stepped in. The girl was young, younger than Zelda, but still as deadly as the others. She wondered if, should the Resistance finally end Ganondorf, she should start having soldiers train at a younger age, and to start allowing women to train as well. She would do anything to ensure a tragedy like the one they currently faced never happened again.

" _Sa'votta,"_ the girl greeted with a curt head nod before helping Zelda change from her nightclothes into a simple gown. Growing up, she had always disliked others helping her with such simple tasks. Now, she dreaded it, knowing that they did not help her out of respect for their monarch, but rather to ensure she hid no weaponry on her person. "His Grace wishes to see you today."

"How can you follow him?" Zelda questioned as the girl brushed her hair. "How can you just do as he commands knowing the chaos and destruction that he has brought with him?"

The Gerudo sighed and was silent a moment. "Your family banished us to the desert," Zelda winced when the girl brushed harder than she thought necessary. "Sentenced us to die there, watched as your soldiers imprisoned us, tortured us, raped us. When we still refused to die, they banished us to the land of darkness, forcing the rest of us, our ancestors, further into the desert itself." Zelda shut her eyes and focused on keeping her breath calm and even. The Gerudo had betrayed the Royal Family. Ganondorf had led an insurrection against the King. The Royal Family could not have just sat idly by and let it go unpunished, act as if nothing had happened. "They executed our king, who generations later, arose from the dead and led us here."

"At the cost of other lives?" Zelda questioned. "At the cost of the world of light being blotted out forever?"

"A punishment your ancestors thought appropriate for us thieves and criminals," the girl tugged on Zelda's hair as she pulled it back, and the Princess gritted her teeth to keep from forming a sound. "His Grace does not seek war," the girl shook her head and moved so she was facing Zelda. "He seeks a better world for his people."

Zelda looked the girl in the eye, hoping to see a shimmer of doubt, though none appeared. "He will destroy us all," she said softly. "He will burn this world to the ground and laugh as everything goes up in flames."

The girl rolled her eyes and helped Zelda to her feet. "Come," she said. "We must not keep His Grace waiting."

They approached the throne room in silence. The Princess did not dare say anything that would be overheard by one of the Demon King's spies. She watched as the girl knelt before the Usurper, and reluctantly followed her lead. She would be of no use to her people dead. "Your Grace," she spoke, not meeting his gaze and keeping the venom she felt in her heart from her tongue.

"You stand before Ganondorf Dragmire," she heard Emita speak, her tone clear, full of authority she had no right to use. "First of His Name. King of the Gerudo. Ruler of the Realm of Light and of Twilight, and rightful King of Hyrule."

"Rise," he stood, holding her head high as she looked to the throne. Niset was not present, something that unsettled her more than she would admit to, though Emita and Amunet remained in their usual positions. "The foolish Zora king still refuses to come and bend the knee."

"A wise choice," Zelda spoke. Though young for a Zora, Ralis was still older than herself, and she was pleased to hear that he was willing to stand up to Ganondorf, even if it cost him his life, even though it would cost him his life.

"You will choose your words more carefully, _Princess,_ " Ganondorf glared down at her. "And would do well to remember you are speaking to your King." He leaned back in the throne, his glare turning to a smirk. "Niset and her forces are taking a break from finding your little friends." Zelda frowned in confusion. Nothing good could come of that. "The Zora boy's people will suffer greatly for his failure to recognize the rightful monarch who won his throne instead of merely receiving it." She continued to watch him carefully, taking care to keep her facial expression neutral. "Their pathetic pet Lord Jabu-Jabu will be dead within the fortnight."

"With all due respect, _Your Grace,"_ Zelda spoke, unable to keep the harshness from her tone. "Lord Jabu-Jabu is sacred to the Zora, their deity. Ending his life will do nothing but enrage the Zora, turn them further against you."

"Silence," he commanded, his voice booming and echoing through the mostly empty room. A chill ran down the Princess's spine. "It is not for you to advise me," he continued, his voice taking on a deadly calm quality. She had learned early on not to fear his voice when it rose, when he became aggressive, but that the calm, collected Demon King was the true threat. "Let it be known throughout Hyrule," he spoke to Amunet and Niset. "That there are no kings, no rulers, no gods other than myself."

"You are a fool, Ganondorf," Zelda spoke. There was no way the man believed himself to be a god, at least she hoped not. "And it will destroy you."

"Take her from my sight," the Usurper snapped at the girl who had escorted her to the room. Proudly, Zelda turned on her heel and left the room before she could be led out, the Gerudo girl following closely behind her.


	16. Shad II

**Chapter Fifteen**

 **Shad**

Traveling with the Resistance had been stressful, but it had not been nearly as stressful as traveling on his own. He had never been athletic, never been a fighter, never been a traveler. He was not cut out for it. But he had to be. He could not let his friends down, not when they had already lost so much, not when Hyrule was already collapsing in on itself. He had to be strong for them. He had to be brave. He had to succeed.

The road was rough, even rougher than when they had come down it only a few days prior. At least there had been fellow travelers then. Now, there was nothing, no one. He sighed and readjusted his bag, which seemed much heavier than he had ever remembered it being, and continued down the road.

He tensed when he saw smoke in the distance, hoping it was a campfire surrounded by friendly travelers, and not a Gerudo encampment. He stood no chance against them on his own, he knew that. They had been lucky when they had been ambushed. By no means should his group have survived, and yet they did. But he had been surrounded by fighters. Alone, he was useless, all but helpless. "Greetings!" he heard a man shout, watched as he stood in front of the fire. He breathed a sigh of relief. _Not Gerudo,_ he thought to himself. _Thank Hylia._

"Greetings," Shad responded and approached the man with his hands held high, revealing no weapons. Of course he had not been foolish enough to travel unarmed. He carried a dagger at his hip, though he knew it would be all but useless against Gerudo scimitars and spears. Still, he felt safer with it on his person. At the very least, he would be able to use it to hunt if he ran out of food, or rather when. He took in the man's appearance, he was portly but not quite fat, easily middle-aged, and sported a fine mustache.

"What is a young man like yourself doing traveling at night?" the man questioned. He was suspicious, Shad gathered, but he did not fault the man for it. He glanced around the camp, noting two other men, one young, Shad's age or younger even, and one in his late twenties, perhaps early thirties, surrounding the fire, a wagon behind them. "And by the looks of it headed toward Castle Town," he continued, his frown deepening. "Have you not heard? Some Thief King took it over, killed our Princess and some ranch hand that stood up to him as well from what I've heard."

 _Our princess,_ Shad heard the man's voice echo in his head, never feeling more relieved to hear two simple words. They had been loyal to Princess Zelda. Perhaps they would be of use to the Resistance as well. "I am a scholar," he spoke, addressing the man, keeping his tone as calm and even as he could, despite the anxieties and apprehensions he still held. "I was returning home from an expedition to the Forest Temple and lost track of the time."

"I can't say I know much about temples or scholars," the man said. "But I can't have a young man wandering off on his own at night. Sit with us."

"I couldn't intrude," Shad tried to argue, but the man held up a hand to stop him.

"Nonsense. Any decent man would offer the same," the man gestured for Shad to follow. He sighed and trailed behind, and sat by the fire when he saw the man do the same. "The name's Daras," he introduced himself. "Innkeeper by trade. This here's Karik," he nodded toward the youngest of the three. "Apprentice blacksmith. And that's Jorrun," he nodded toward the remaining man. "Tailor by trade. We met in the market a few span back, decided it was safer traveling together than on our own. "

"We were damn right too," Karik spoke. "These women are everywhere. Never seen anything like it, burning settlements to the ground and taking everything they can. At this rate, there'll be nothing left by the next full moon."

Daras smiled apologetically at Shad before turning to the two men. "Now, let's not talk of such things. Not with a guest," he turned back to the scholar. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Miko," Shad lied as best as he could. "Scholar," he added, keeping a pleasant expression on his face.

"And where did you say you were headed?" Daras asked politely, offering Shad a flask. He gratefully drank from it before handing it back. "The Forest Temple, was it?"

"Away from the Forest Temple," Shad corrected. "Place is covered in monsters. I've never seen anything like it."

"Must be related to this thief king," Jorrun leaned back on his elbows. "Things have been all wrong since the castle fell. There's evil in the air, I can feel it." He was silent a moment and looked Shad over. "If you're headed for Castle Town, don't," he finally spoke.

"Noted," Shad sighed deeply and glanced into the fire. He had not planned on heading there, at least not immediately, but he knew he would be forced to travel to the capitol eventually. It held the largest population, at least the largest human and Hylian population. The Gorons and Zora would no doubt be too busy defending their homes to worry about helping the Resistance. If Ganondorf was truly as evil as the stories and legends all said, they had their work cut out for them.

"At any rate, you're welcome to our fire tonight," Daras stretched and leaned back. "No sense going any further tonight. A little lad like you'd be killed before dawn."

Shad rolled his eyes but gratefully lay by the fire, doubting any further conversation would be happening that night. He would have to be quick though, if he wanted to gain their trust, to get them on his side. Goddesses knew they would need all the help they could get.


	17. Ganondorf III

**Chapter Sixteen**

 **Ganondorf**

He had wanted to see the Princess locked away, thrown into the dungeons to never be heard from again for the insolence she had displayed toward him. As much as he wanted her to suffer, though, he knew that he needed her. Without her, the people of Hyrule would be more likely to rally against him, to form a revolution. And that was the last thing he needed.

He had maintained his composure long enough to watch her escorted from the Throne Room, but not long after that. In his anger, he had struck one of his faithful advisors. Such an action never would have been tolerated back in the desert. His mothers would have punished him harshly. But his mothers were no longer around. He was the King. He did not need their petty rules.

Perhaps the princess had been correct in her assumption that he would merely anger Ralis and his people more angry with him. Still, it was a risk he needed to take. If anything, it would send a message to those who remained in open, even in closed, rebellion against him, and as long as the brat of a Hero still had friends around... No, he could not think of that. The boy had already given up his friends twice. Ganondorf held no doubts the boy would reveal more, if given the proper motivations. He motioned for two of his guards to follow him and made his way to the dungeons once more. He could not make the princess pay for her insolence, but he could make the boy.

He smirked as he took the fallen hero's appearance in. The boy who had once stood so strong, so _proud_ , was all but a shell, half-starved, filthy, if the King did not know any better, he would have even said helpless, though he knew that could not be the case. The mark on the back of the boy's hand would always leave some fight in him. He smirked when he saw the boy's chest rising and falling in a slow, even manner, knowing that would not last long, and kicked him in the ribs, watching as the boy cried out and gasped, woken from his sleep.

"Unchain him," he commanded and watched as his guards did as he said. His smirk broadened when he noticed the Hero's eyes, full of confusion, though still full of that pride Ganondorf was hellbent on destroying. He laughed, low and deep, as the boy tried to get up, only to stumble and fall back to the ground. "Restrain him." He watched as the boy struggled to move away from the two guards who had grabbed the boy by the arms and forced him to look at his king. "No words today, _Hero?"_ He waited a moment, only to be greeted by silence. "Then I suppose I'll do all the talking," Ganondorf sighed dramatically and knelt before him. "I am going to have my soldiers hunt down every last one of your little village's children. You are going to tell me where they are, and you are going to watch as I end their pathetic little lives."

"Fuck you," the boy spoke at last, struggling harder against the guards.

"Of course it will not be quick either," he drew his dagger from his hip, running a hand along the blade as he studied the boy who now shook with fear, with hatred. "I do have some experts in medicine on hand after all," he added before sliding his dagger under the boy's wrist, deep enough to hurt, though not so deep as to hit a nerve.

The boy hissed in pain and tried to move away, but the guards would not let him move. "I won't give them up," he shook his head.

The King laughed and slid his blade down at an angle, watching as the boy screamed, as his face turned deathly pale. "Oh you will," he argued. "Though these things do take time." He pulled his dagger back and watched as the boy's blood flowed freely. He raised the blade again, studying it thoughtfully. "Of course, you could always inform me where your little friends are. That may buy the children some time to get away." He studied the boy's eyes, watching them flash between fear, thoughtfulness, confusion... "You're a smart boy, for a ranch hand," he continued. "You know I have limited forces. I cannot have them looking for two groups at a time."

He waited a moment, though nothing but silence came from the boy. "Nothing?" he raised an eyebrow. "Some time to think then." He picked up one of the shackles from the floor and fastened it tightly around the new wound on the boy's wrist, watching as the fallen hero hissed in pain, and was pleased to see one of the guards had shackled the boy's other wrist, twisted behind him and chained to the wall. "Try to ignore the rats," Ganondorf added as he stepped back. "They do love the scent of fresh blood." He turned and motioned for his guards to follow him back to the surface, nodding approvingly when one took the only torch illuminating the cells with her.

He had barely made it through the first corridor when Amunet came running toward him, a smirk on her face. "Blood of my blood," she greeted. "The Zora were awaiting us. We lost a few, but they lost more."

"Well done, blood of my blood," he praised, unable to keep a smile from his lips. "And their precious little king?"

"Is being held prisoner by Niset and her best fighters," she spoke, pride in her tone. "They are to bring him here to face your justice."

"Well done," Ganondorf smiled and headed to his chambers, one step closer to total control of Hyrule.


	18. Ralis

**Chapter Seventeen**

 **Ralis**

His people had fought hard, and they had fought well, but it still had not been enough to stave off the Gerudo. They should have won easily. They had the numbers. But they had failed to account for Gerudo magic, something no one in the kingdom of Hyrule had seen for centuries, if not for millennia. He should have been better prepared. He should have moved his people away from his home. But he had been selfish. He had wanted to stay where he had lived with his parents, to honor the heritage of the proud Zora people. And he had no doubt in his mind it would cost him his life.

To the credit of the Gerudo, they had not executed him before his people, as the shadow beasts had done to his mother. No, instead he was to be brought before the Usurper to face what they called justice. He had laughed when they had spoken those words to him. "Justice from a king who stole his throne?" he had questioned, only to be struck by one of the warriors.

He was not afraid, though. He knew he faced that risk when he refused to bend the knee to the madman who sat upon the throne. He just never dreamed the day would have come so quickly, that so many of his own would fall, that their home would be frozen solid once more. His people suffered, and he could do nothing to help them. He had led them to their deaths, and they had followed him. Goddesses he wished someone would have talked some since into his head, though he doubted he would have listened.

He was silent during the trek to Hyrule Castle, not wanting to give the Gerudo the satisfaction of him saying something wrong, or saying something to boost their egos. Still, that did not make the journey any easier. Zora were not meant to be away from water for so long. They were not meant to be away from their home for so long, and the strain was taking a toll on him. He needed water, a large body of water, and his captors seemed hellbent on keeping him away from it.

He took a shaky breath as he was escorted not to the throne room to face Ganondorf, but rather to the dungeons. He figured he should have expected that. After all, he was a prisoner, no longer a diplomatic representative, no longer considered to be of any rank. Though Ganondorf would have had to have been a fool to believe Ralis still held no power. The Zora had no doubt the Gorons would rally against the Demon King, should he be executed.

He felt sick to his stomach when the stench of the dungeon hit his nose, though he tried to keep his expression neutral. He would have plenty of time to mourn his people and his own life once left alone. No, he would not break in front of his captors. That was what they wanted, he knew it, even despite his young age. "Aw, the brat still lives," he heard one of the women sneer.

Ralis glanced around, hoping the shadows would form into sensible shapes, and felt sick to his stomach when he saw the yellow flames illuminating a hollow, half-maddened face. He wanted to be wrong. He prayed to the Goddesses he was wrong, but even in his half-dead state, there was no mistaking the figure before him was Link, the same Link Ralis had thought dead. "We brought you a friend, _Hero,_ " another Gerudo smirked before pushing Ralis into the cell.

Ralis stumbled forward, but did not fall, nor did he flinch when the cell door slammed shut behind him. If anything, he was grateful they had not chained him, though there was no real need for it. The lack of a major water source had already weakened him to the point he could not fight back if he tried. He watched the guards leave the dungeon, and turned to face his friend. "I thought you were dead," he spoke softly.

"I wish I were," Link sighed and stared at the cold, stone ceiling. Ralis sighed deeply and sat on the floor, leaning his back against the stone wall.

"You don't mean that," Ralis hugged himself. His voice was small, scared. If Link were alive, they still stood a chance. They could escape. Everything would turn out fine. They would defeat Ganondorf, and everything would return to normal.

"Yes I do," the Hero spoke, his voice void of emotion, empty. A distressed noise caught in the Zora's throat as he realized the past few weeks had not been some horrific nightmare. They had been all too real, and there was far too much of a risk that he would not make it out alive.


	19. Ashei IV

**Chapter Eighteen**

 **Ashei**

An inkeeper, a tailor, and a blacksmith. After weeks of being away, that had been the best Shad had been able to send her, though his carefully sent messages attempted to assure her he was doing his best, and that everyone seemed more intent on living the same old lives they had always lived rather than join a resistance that, in their minds, was sure to do nothing but further anger their new king and make their lives more miserable than they were already. She would be lying to herself if she said she had not hoped for more, though even she knew Shad's people skills were not quite what they needed to be.

Ganondorf had numbers, she knew that, but he had nothing compared to the entirety of the kingdom. She would have wagered anything that the Gorons would have attacked by then, but she had been wrong. Bo had warned her that the Gorons had always been more concerned with their own welfare than the welfare of the rest of the kingdom proper, but she had still held hope, hope that was rapidly depleting. She still had hope the Zora people would join their forces, though Zora's Domain was so far north, they may have stood a better chance risking storming the castle before waiting the amount of time it would take the Zora warriors to reach their encampment. At the current rate, they would all be hunted down by the time she had a halfway decent task force to infiltrate the castle.

Rusl was, by far, her best swordsman, but he had been distracted by the birth of his newest child, a daughter. The labor had been a struggle, and Ashei had been honestly surprised Uli had made it through, though she was grateful. Rusl and his wife had already lost one child, had no knowledge of the whereabouts or well being of the other, and had no need to lose another. Ashei only hoped the infant's cries would not compromise their position.

Including herself, she had two people proficient in swordsmanship. Fado had been a quick learner, but, being rather simple-minded, struggled to grasp the more complex maneuvers and strategies. Hanch and Jaggle may as well have stayed in Ordon Village for as much help as they provided. She knew they could not have, though. The Gerudo no doubt burned the village, and everything in it, to the ground. They would not have shown any mercy to the group, and they did not deserve that.

"You should rest," the innkeeper spoke, and Ashei jumped when she felt his hand on her shoulder. "My apologies," the man quickly pulled his hand back.

She nodded, regaining her composure. "Just don't do it again, yeah?" she asked.

"Of course not," the man smiled and nodded, looking properly ashamed of himself. She wondered where Shad had encountered such a ragtag group. Surely they must have been running from Ganondorf and his forces, though some part of her knew they had wanted to return to their families, but were unsure their families would have still been around. "Anyway," the man continued. "You should get some rest. You've been at this all day."

Hating herself for it, Ashei knew he was right. An exhausted, sleep-deprived leader would do no good for anyone. She needed to be at the top of her game at all times, no matter what the cost. She owed that much to them. It had been her plan that had cost Link his life. If they had been with him, if they had saved their heavier attacks... No, she could not think in such terms.

Shaking her head, she retired to her tent, though she did not sleep. Rather, she studied the map of Hyrule and its surrounding lands. By that point in her life, she had all but memorized it, but it gave her some comfort, however small that comfort may have been. She sighed when she saw the flap covering the entrance to her tent open, but smiled slightly when Rusl entered. "My apologies," he said. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine," she sighed and folded her map up once more. "I should be the one asking you that question. How are you and your wife?"

"I'm fine," Rusl assured and sat across from Ashei without bothering to ask, not that she minded. With Auru gone, she had grown closer to the swordsman, depended on him for the advice the princess's tutor had once given her. "Uli is doing well. Still exhausted, but who wouldn't be?"

"Good," Ashei nodded and began to methodically unfold her blanket. She had always been a structured individual, and always followed a rigid routine. When something changed that, it took her more time than she would admit to re-adjust, and so she was grateful they had no plans to move camps, at least not in the near future. "What brings you here?" she looked over at the older man.

"We need more people," he spoke, keeping his voice calm, even, despite the stress Ashei knew he must have felt. "We can't hope to go against a legion of fully trained Gerudo warriors with four half-trained men, myself, and you. You know that."

"Which is why I have Shad out recruiting," she spoke, keeping her voice curt. Rusl started to speak again, but she cut him off. "I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is no. We are the only ones that can train them. You understand me, yeah?"

"I do," Rusl sighed and nodded. "Thank you, though," he added before leaving her to her thoughts once more.

She needed a new plan, and she knew it, but she did not know what to. Each time she came up with a plan, it failed. Her mistakes had gotten Link and Auru killed. She had not heard news of Shad in days either. For all she knew, he was dead as well. She had not been strong enough to stop the Demon King, and because of that hundreds, if not thousands, had died while the remainder suffered.

She curled up on her side and took several shaky breaths. Hyrule had fallen, and she had been helpless to prevent it. Her friends were dying all around her. She could not even train a handful of villagers to wield a weapon. She shut her eyes tightly, and for the first time since her mother had died, Ashei wept.


	20. Link III

**Chapter Nineteen**

 **Link**

Despite the horrors he had faced the past several weeks, or perhaps months, nothing had filled Link with more dread than Ralis being brought to the dungeons. He could handle being tortured. He could handle the harassment and the constant fear. He did not think he could bear to see it happen to someone else.

The Zora prince was terrified. Link could tell, even if the boy said nothing. He could not blame the boy, though. He had not seen his reflection in weeks, but he still had an idea of how terrible he must have looked, half-starved and covered in dirt and blood, among other things. The Gerudo had at least been kind enough not to torture him in front of their extra prisoner, though, something Link was grateful for. Ralis had been through enough in his young life. He did not need the extra stress on top of everything.

"My people are dead or dying," Link heard Ralis say in a quiet, broken voice. "All because of me." He watched as the young prince shook his head. "I thought I was protecting them. But all I did was sentence them to die."

"You did what you thought was right at the time," Link argued. He may have been miserable, but he was going to do everything in his power to keep Ralis calm, to keep the boy feeling safe. He had sworn an oath to Queen Rutela to protect her son at all costs, and he was not going to go back on his word, even under the current circumstances. "You couldn't have known what would happen."

"I should have, though," Ralis spoke, staring up at the ceiling.

Link sighed, but said nothing. He knew it was not the same situation, but he had been struggling with his own feelings of guilt and remorse. Hyrule had fallen. His friends were dead, and he had no doubts people were suffering by the masses, all because he had been too cocky to fight Ganondorf properly, all because he had failed.

Despite his restraints, Link jumped when he heard footsteps approaching, knowing all too well who was about to appear. He had memorized the various patterns, the various steps. These could not have belonged to one of the women. No, they were too heavy, and the _clink_ of the armor always gave the Demon King away. "I see you've made a friend," Link felt hatred swell within him when he saw the Usurper's face, arrogant as ever. He continued to glare at Ganondorf as he watched the man unlock and step into the cell, two Gerudo guards close behind him. "I suppose I'll make this quick then."

Link waited for the guards to unshackle him once more, to restrain him themselves, but it never came. Rather, they had gone to Ralis, one guard restraining him, another holding a blade to his throat. The noise of distress the Zora prince made chilled Link to the bone, and filled him with nothing short of dread. The boy was going to die, and Link would be unable to do anything to stop them...

"You have a choice to make, _Hero,"_ Ganondorf spat. Link flinched, but said nothing, keeping his guard up to prevent the king from the satisfaction of seeing his fear, his dread. "You will help us track down and kill this little Resistance," the man continued. "Or you will watch this boy die."

"Link," Ralis spoke, his voice full of sheer terror, though it still kept elements of the dignity Link had found all nobility seemed to posses. "Don't do it."

The Hero shook his head, glancing between the Zora prince and the Demon King, wondering if the man was bluffing, though Link doubted he was. If anything, Ganondorf was a man of his word. He had had yet to break one of his twisted promises. Still, he could not betray the Resistance, they were the only hope Hyrule had of survival, however small that hope was.

"Oh and it won't be an easy death either," Ganondorf smirked. Link had never hated someone more in his life. "We'll be sure to prolong his suffering while you sit here and watch, helpless to stop it, and knowing that you caused it."

He had sworn an oath to Ralis's mother, but he had a duty to his friends. But if he stopped them, he thought maybe, just maybe, he could lead the Gerudo astray, give them false information, anything that would protect his friends and protect the young boy.

Hatred coursed through his veins, though now Link was unsure if it was directed toward Ganondorf, toward the situation, or toward himself. He only had one option that would maybe, _maybe,_ buy time for all parties involved. "Okay," he said, his voice barely audible. He shut his eyes tightly, refusing to look the man in the eye. "I'll help you."

"Good," the Demon King smirked, and nodded at the guards, who released Ralis. "Unchain the _Hero_." Link fell forward when the guards removed his shackles, what little strength that remained in him preventing him from keeping himself upright. "I do warn you, boy," Ganondorf continued. "Any funny business at all, and you will watch as we destroy everything and everyone you've ever loved."

Link nodded and allowed the Gerudo guards to help him to his feet, hoping beyond hope that he had not made the worst mistake of his life.


	21. Zelda V

**Chapter Twenty**

 **Zelda**

She had not doubted that Ganondorf's forces had frozen Zora's domain. No, she had heard of the same tactic being used time and time again by various wielders of the Triforce of Power. When she was younger, she had believed the stories to be just that, fictitious works designed to make people believe in some greater good. Now that she was older, though, she knew better. She had seen the corruption the Triforce had wrought upon Ganondorf, the chaos it had caused. If there was one thing she was grateful for, the Usurper had permitted the Zora prince to live, even if he did live in imprisonment. She wondered what had changed his mind as she headed to the dining hall.

More so than her visits to the throne room, Zelda dreaded dining with the Demon King and his equally demonic advisors. She never could have dreamed such cruelty existed in the world, let alone in four individuals. The sight of them alone sickened her, the topics of conversation even more so. She had asked to take her meals in he rooms, but the king had forbade it, no doubt as a power play. He enjoyed lording his power over others, she had noticed that in the few months since he had taken over, and she hoped beyond hope it would bring about his demise.

" _Sav'saaba,"_ Ganondorf greeted, the ever-present smirk still etched on his features. Zelda noted he was still clad in armor. Months had passed and the people had been too afraid to utter a wrong phrase, let alone lead an insurrection, and yet he still felt the need to be on high alert at all times. She was not sure whether it was wise or paranoid, but it was not her place to say such things, not anymore.

She stared at the ground and curtsied, a gesture filled with more formality than respect. "Your Grace," she spoke softly before taking her place next to one of his advisors, Niset, the leader of his armies.

"We have a guest with us this evening," Ganondorf spoke between mouthfuls of food. Taking the title of King had apparently done nothing to improve his social graces. "Someone I am sure you will be grateful to see."

Zelda frowned and glanced up, feeling her blood run cold as she saw a familiar figure step through the doors, escorted by several Gerudo guards. He seemed shorter than she had remembered, more frail. His skin was deathly pale, and he was terrifyingly skinny, but there was no doubt in her mind the figure clad in Ganondorf's colors standing before her was Link, the man she had tried to save, but had instead sentenced to a life of pain and misery. She watched as he bowed his head in reverence and spoke a soft "Your Grace," his voice sounding more hollow than she had remembered, more lifeless.

"Be seated," the King said, the smirk on his face broadening, and Zelda tried not to stare as Link sat across from her. It felt strange, seeing him out of the green tunic the Heroes of Legend had worn. It felt wrong, even, to see him wearing armor engraved with the Gerudo signs and sigils. She did not dare speak though, nor did she dare display an expression anything short of neutral. She was surrounded by enemies, perhaps in the most dangerous place in the country. One wrong move would cost her her head, and she could not do that to her people. As long as she lived, there was still some glimmer of hope that Ganondorf could be defeated, that Hyrule could be restored to its former glory.

"The boy has finally come to his senses," Ganondorf spoke, pushing his plate to the side and staring directly at Zelda. A chill ran down her spine, but she did nothing to reveal her apprehensions. He thrived on fear, and she refused to play into his little games. "Even a few days of training with my warriors I can already tell he will be a valuable asset to us in stomping out this little Resistance the people seem so fond of."

"It pleases me to hear such things, Your Grace," she spoke, looking into his eyes, daring him to find fault in her words. She had always been a good liar, had always needed to be. Sometimes lies were necessary in the world of politics, necessary for self-preservation. Her father had taught her as much. Still, she could not believe Link would turn forces, even under the greatest of pressures. He was too loyal to his friends, too good of a soul. Still though, she had seen the fragile state he had been in in the dungeons. She did not know what Ganondorf and his minions had done to him, and she had no desire to know. She could only trust that the Hero had a plan, that he would betray Ganondorf and put an end to him once and for all.

"And then there is the matter of what to do with you," the Usurper mused thoughtfully and drank the wine in the chalice before him. "Oh it's all fine and good that the people know you are alive and well, but there are some that accuse me of holding you prisoner, though, if memory serves, you did make the decision to back my reign."

"I did, Your Grace," Zelda nodded, still keeping the confusion she felt buried deep.

"I need to secure my line," the man spoke. "And the people will never accept both a Gerudo king and queen, now would they?" Her blood boiled, and she could not keep the glare from her face. He was mad if she thought she would go along with his insane plan. She had offered to back his rule, nothing more. "Zelda, my sweet Princess," he continued, his voice nothing short of taunting. "We will wed upon the next full moon."


	22. Shad III

**Chapter Twenty-One**

 **Shad**

It seemed everywhere he went, he was met by death and destruction, by suffering and anguish. The Gerudo had burned every village between Castle Town to Ordon to the ground, leaving families homeless, starving, and grieving for those who had been lost in the fires. Yet only a few had been willing to trust him, to go and join the Resistance. It had seemed as though Ganondorf's forces had snuffed out what little hope had remained.

He made his way toward Kakariko Village, though he doubted the Demon King would have allowed it to remain standing. Link had had too many ties to the place, after all. Still, the village lay at the foot of Death Mountain, and only a fool would have dared challenge the Gorons. He hoped he could win them over; their size alone would prove to be a huge advantage to the Resistance.

It was getting late, and his feet ached from the long journey, though he still had many miles ahead of him. He walked a bit further until he saw a campfire burning nearby. Only when he was certain the people surrounding the fire were not Ganondorf's forces, did he approach them. "Excuse me," he spoke as he approached the group, a man, his wife, and their three children. "Do you have room for one more around your fire?"

The man looked Shad over, no doubt trying to decide if the scholar posed a threat or not. "Are you a soldier?" he asked, his voice deep and gruff. Shad shook his head in reply. "I suppose so, then." Gratefully, Shad sat, keeping a fair distance from the man's wife and children, not wanting to pose a threat. "Damn soldiers have been robbing everyone blind lately. They were supposed to be defending us, and now they're off fighting for the new king."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shad spoke softly and stared into the fire. He never would have dreamed Hyrule's army would change loyalties so quickly, though he did know many of the soldiers to be cowardly. No doubt they changed sides to keep their lives.

"Even the Princess betrayed us," the man shook his head and handed Shad some water, which the scholar drank gratefully.

"How so?" Shad frowned in confusion. He did not know the woman personally, but from the ways Auru and Link had described her, he found it doubtful that she would have betrayed her people, unless it was to keep them safe, or at least safer than they were currently.

"She's marrying the son of a bitch," the man sighed, and Shad felt his blood run cold. Surely the princess would not be so stupid as to marry such a cruel man. It would be her way of declaring him to be a legitimate ruler, and the Usurper was the farthest thing from a legitimate ruler... "Anyway, enough talk of politics," the man sighed. "You must be exhausted. Get some rest."

"Thank you," Shad sighed and slept on the ground, a bit further from the fire than the others. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, but his sleep was restless at best. He needed to act faster, to recruit more people. If Zelda married Ganondorf, then all hope was lost, and he could not allow that to happen. He and his friends had worked far too hard for far too long to allow Hyrule to fall so easily.

Morning came all too soon, and though not rested, Shad thanked the family who had shared their campsite, and continued on his way to Kakariko Village.

The sight that greeted him was not a pretty one. He had seen the village immediately after the Twilight Invasion, seen the destruction that had plagued the once great settlement. And yet that had been nothing compared to what stood, or rather did not stand, before him. Buildings had been reduced to nothing but ash and rubble. Blood covered the street running through the village. Eldin's spring had been all but destroyed.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Shad stepped through the village, grateful at least that he had yet to see the bodies of Renado, Luda, or the Ordon children. Taking a deep, shaky breath, he made his way toward the foot of Death Mountain, hoping beyond hope that the Gorons would see reason, that they would help defeat the Usurper, that they would help end this nightmare.


	23. Darbus

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

 **Darbus**

Death and destruction plagued the land around them, but Death Mountain stood strong, as it always had, and as it always would. They had taken risks in transporting Renado and the Ordon children through the mountains and into the lands to the east, but it had been well worth it. The children were dear to Link, and though Link was long gone,

The Gerudo were fierce warriors, only a fool would believe otherwise, but they would have to be extremely foolish to attack Darbus and his people. Death Mountain was not a hospitable environment, and was damn near impossible to climb if the Gorons made it so. Still, they had thought that way once before when the Hero of Twilight had scaled the mountain...

"Brother," Kogos, one of the guards of the entrance to the mines, greeted him. "A young Hylian has been spotted attempting to scale the mountain. Should we let him pass?"

Darbus thought for a moment, pondering his options. The Hylians had shown them no ill will, at least not since the fall of Hyrule. But they could not afford to become bigger targets than they already were by allowing passage through Death Mountain to every person who sought it. Still, this was the first person since the human children and Renado... "You will see to it he gets to my chambers safely."

"Understood," Kogos nodded and left Darbus alone once more. He could not help but wonder how any of this had happened. Link had been strong, a fierce, proud fighter. He had had no trouble breaking the curse that had been laid upon himself, but he had fallen at the hands of Ganondorf.

Half a day had passed before Kogos entered his chambers once more, the young Hylian by his side, the four elders following close behind them. "Brother," the Goron greeted. "I have safely escorted the Hylian."

Darbus thanked the guard and dismissed him before turning to the boy. He could not have been much older than Link had been, though he was certainly not as strong. Still, he had an aura of bravery about him. "Well don't just stand there," he said. "Speak."

"My name is Shad," the Hylian introduced himself. "I was a friend of Link's. We were in a group that opposed Ganondorf called the Resistance."

"Then what brings you here?" Darbus questioned. "We've stayed out of this conflict until now."

"We need more people if we're going to stand any chance of defeating Ganondorf and his forces," Shad spoke. "We need your help."

Darbus sighed deeply and glanced at the elders, each sharing the same concerned expression. They would be fools to risk their lives, and they all knew it. But they were also the strongest race in the land and could provide immense assistance. "We will consider it," he said carefully, not wanting to bring the boy's hopes up only to have them come crashing back down.

"Thank you," Shad sighed and left them to their thoughts.

"Now then," Darbus addressed the elders. "What are your thoughts?"

"We have always tried to stay out of the affairs of the politics of Hyrule," Gor Coron began and looked Darbus in the eye. Darbus nodded respectfully. Of all the elders, he held the greatest respect for Gor Coron, who had been the patriarch before him. "That being said, our honorary brother has been killed by this Gerudo King."

"And," Gor Amoto spoke. "Like it or not, we have already involved ourselves in this by allowing the Ordon children to pass through the mountain in order to reach the Akkala lands."

"It is our duty to defend our brothers," Gor Liggs spoke after a long moment. "And though not truly one of us, that Hylian boy earned the title of brother from us. We have a duty to him."

"I agree with the others," Gor Ebizo spoke. "We have the strength and resources this Resistance needs. They will not be able to get it anywhere else."

Darbus nodded and took several deep breaths, taking their counsel into consideration before calling Shad back into the chamber. "We will allow them to use our mountain as needed," he spoke. "We will not hinder passage, and we will not inform Ganondorf and his soldiers and allies that we know the whereabouts of anyone who has gone through this way. Any brother who wishes to fight with your resistance may do so, though that is their decision and their decision alone."

"Thank you," the Hylian spoke. Darbus was pleased to hear the sincere tone of gratitude in the boy's voice. "For everything."

Darbus nodded and left his chambers, heading to the mines, hoping beyond hope that he had not handed out a death sentence to his people.


	24. Uli

**A/N: It has been a long while since my last update. For that I apologize, and I do believe I owe an explanation for. I have been struggling immensely with some of my coursework, and as such have needed to devote just about all of my time to it, at least the time that I do not spend at work. I apologize for the delay, and I do intend on finishing this story. Thank you all for your patience and continued support. It means the world to me. - Luthien**

 **Chapter Twenty-Three**

 **Uli**

She had adored Ordon from the moment she had first stepped foot upon its lush green grass. It had been so quaint, so perfect. Rusl had done well in choosing their new home. It had been small, but she had loved that most of all. She knew everyone's name, everyone's family, and she could not have asked for anything better.

She absolutely despised the wetlands. The rain was constant, the humidity unbearable. Still, she thought she could have handled things a bit better if Colin were with her, if she were not worrying about his well being, if he were alive, or... No. She could not think like that. She had already lost one son and she was not going to allow herself to even imagine the sheer horror of losing another.

The baby cried constantly, but she did not mind that as much as the others seemed to. At least the crying meant she was full of life, and hopefully, that she would have a long, full life ahead. At least she was able to keep to the familiarity of routine. While Ashei and the others trained to fight, she cooked, cared for her daughter, and tended to injuries, something she had done her entire life.

"Hideous creatures," she overheard one of the men say. So many had come in the past few days that she had lost track of their names and trades. Rusl had tried to teach them to her, but she had been too distracted by other matters. "Faces like the devil, they've got." She was unsure of what they were talking about, and she was not entirely sure she wanted to know.

Hyrule had been crawling with creatures since the kingdom had fallen to the Usurper King, Ganondorf. It was a known fact. From the stories she heard the travelers tell one another, the people lived in fear. "Got the Zora King now," she heard another say, this one a woman. "Goddesses help us all."

"Traitor to her kingdom if you ask me," she overheard one of the first men to join them, Daras, speak to a young man who had joined them only days prior. "Marrying that good-for-nothing Usurper. She's as bad as the rest of them." She frowned and started to ask who he was talking about, though decided against it. It was easier to remain quiet, to stay in the shadows, to mind her own business. Tensions were high among everyone as of late, and she did not wish to make things worse than they already were.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, only to relax when she turned and saw her husband behind her. "You should rest," he said, his voice kind and gentle, as it always was toward her. "You've been up since before dawn." Uli sighed and nodded, though she doubted sleep would come to her. Restful nights had been few and far between. Still, she did not wish to argue with her husband, and she made her way to their make-shift campsite.

She sat, cradling her daughter in her arms, and let sleep take her.

* * *

Uli awoke to the sound of powerful, deep voices coming from outside of the tent, voices she could not recall hearing in her life until that moment. "Come to help the cause, Brother," one spoke. She studied what she could of their shadows that appeared through the thin tent walls. They were large, larger than any living being she had ever seen, and broad as well.

"Well Goddesses know we can take all the help we can get," she relaxed when she heard her husband's voice speak. Hushing her crying daughter, Uli stepped out of the tent, only to be taken aback by what she saw. She had heard stories about the men, seemingly made of rock, but she had thought them to be legends, stories that Bo had made up to entertain and impress the village people. Having grown up in a small village like Ordon only to move to Ordon, she had never dreamed that Gorons would have been real. "Ah, Uli," Rusl smiled, and wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into his touch. "This is Magimi," he nodded toward the Goron on his left. "And Tinabo," he gestured to the one on his right. "They, along with a few others, have agreed to help us."

"A pleasure," she smiled politely and nodded her head slightly. The people seemed friendly enough, and if they were willing to fight Ganondorf, she was willing to place her trust in them. "If you will excuse me though, I should be getting to work."

"Of course," Magimi nodded, a look of what she assumed to be understanding on his features.

"Please, make yourselves at home," she added before going off to her duties, the same ones she had performed for most of her life, only this time with the hope that the Resistance was finally gaining the support it needed to defeat the Gerudo once and for all.


	25. Link IV

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

 **Link**

He had never wanted to hurt anyone. True, he had wanted to learn to wield a sword, but it was for the purpose of defending those around him, not for, as he had heard some put it, the joy of legally harming others. No, he had never wanted to hurt anyone, until he had encountered Ganondorf Dragmire. The Gerudo warriors had given him a sword, though not his Master Sword, and he spent his days imagining himself driving it through the so-called King's heart, his skull... He would settle for anything.

They had stripped him of his identity. They had replaced his green Hero's Tunic with one of black, embroidered with the Gerudo symbol. His Hylian shield had been replaced with one of Gerudo origin. They refused to call him by name, if they addressed him at all, though that did not bother him in the slightest.

Still, he had learned things since being moved from the dungeons to a room in the castle, though he was not entirely sure how much of it he could believe. Allegedly there had been two attempts on Ganondorf's life, though Link was unsure where they came from or what they entailed. He knew not all of the Gerudo were loyal to their king. Some despised him. A rare few even missed their desert home and desired to return there.

The rumor that disturbed him the most though, was that the dark Twili beings had returned to Hyrule, something Link, at least in part, blamed himself for. He had re-constructed the Mirror of Twilight, allowing the portal between the two worlds to be opened once more. And, perhaps even worse than that, he had been able to do nothing while the Demon King slaughtered their ruler.

Midna had died. Hyrule had fallen. And it was all his fault, something everyone he encountered in the castle had made sure he knew. "They would have lived had you been stronger," Nisset said to him as she escorted him past the Wall of Traitors, where, as it seemed, new bodies were hanged each day. Even victory, it seemed, had not satiated Ganondorf's blood lust.

He was never alone, though he could not blame the Usurper for being paranoid. What would stop him from scaling the wall? From raiding the armory and leaving with as much as he could carry? He could not do that, though, not when Ralis's life was at stake, and especially not when the lives of the village children were on the line. He would do anything to protect them, even if it meant defending a man he utterly despised.

Zelda had not dared try to contact him, a fact that did not surprise Link much. He had no doubt she was being watched as closely, if not more closely, as himself. Her wedding was merely days away. He wished she would flee, that she would escape the castle and never look back, but he knew that she could never abandon her people. At least in the castle, however dangerous it was for her, she could keep some of Ganondorf's powers in check, talk him out of his more extreme ideas.

He stepped into his room, a cold, stone, windowless room furnished only with the necessities, and closed the door behind him. He wished, not for the first time, that he would be permitted to take his weapons with him. He was no fool, though. That would never happen. As long as Ganondorf was in power, he would never hold a weapon unsupervised again. The man was careful, and Link had to give him credit for that.

He sighed when he heard the door creak open, and turned to face the young Gerudo who had been tasked with bringing him his meal. "Thank you," he sighed, hoping that would be all that was required of him. Usually they entered, set the tray down, and left, no words escaping their mouths. He frowned when this one closed the door and approached him.

"The walls have ears," she spoke softly, and Link frowned in confusion. "So we must be careful."

"What are you-," he started to question, but she held up a hand to silence him. He could not help but think she seemed different from the others he had encountered, more careful, more... innocent, though he did not dare deceive himself that she was any less deadly than the other warriors.

"The Princess wishes to speak with you," she continued, and Link could not help but sense a trap. "Meet her in the gardens in the morning." She set his tray down and started to leave, but turned to face him one last time. "Some of us remain loyal to the rightful heir," she took a deep breath and left him alone once more.

He pushed his tray away, his appetite long gone. If she could be trusted, he could find Zelda, speak with her, and maybe the two of them could find a way out of this mess... But if it was a set-up, he could lose everything he had worked so hard to achieve. And, though he hated to admit it, Ganondorf had spoken truthfully. It had been Zelda's fault that Link found himself in that situation in the first place. No, he could not think like that. She had been trying to spare his life.

They could not afford to turn on themselves.


	26. Link V

**I would like to sincerely, sincerely apologize for not having updated in so long. I have been experiencing a myriad of health issues that, for quite some time, left me completely wiped out, but am now back on the up-swing of things. Thank you again for your loyalty and patience. I hope you enjoy the rest of this story!**

 **Chapter 25**

 **Link**

The rain poured heavily from the dark, gloomy skies as he made his way to the castle gardens. He was un-escorted, but he did not delude himself into believing he was not being watched. Briefly, he glanced at the tall, stone wall surrounding the castle, wondering if he could climb them. Even if he could, though, the risk was not worth it. With the army on his hands, Ganondorf could hunt down and kill the village children before Link could blink. And that was something he was not willing to risk.

He wondered what had happened to the Gerudo girl who had attempted to help him. Secrets did not remain secrets long in Hyrule Castle, not when Ganondorf sat on the throne, soon to secure his throne... Link shook his head and continued walking, occasionally glancing behind him to ensure he was not being followed.

A hooded figure stood, admiring a stone carving of the Triforce surrounded by flowers, one of the few symbols the Demon King had permitted to remain in the castle after his takeover. He had seen for himself the statue of the Sand Goddess that stood where the statues of the Golden Goddesses had stood watching and protecting the throne. He laughed dryly. Hyrule had fallen and the Goddesses that had created it hadn't done a damn thing.

He approached the figure carefully, hoping beyond hope that Zelda had really arranged for a meeting between the two of them. She, at least, had less to lose than himself should she get caught. Ganondorf couldn't risk harming the land's beloved princess, not if he wanted to keep the citizens from revolting, not that lightly armed citizens would stand even a slight chance against Hyrule's army and Ganondorf's legion of Gerudo guards.

Slowly, the figure turned to face him. Zelda's familiar features were vague under the hood clouding her face, but he was able to make them out. "We must speak quickly," she said, her voice soft and low, but urgent at the same time. Link nodded in agreement, not bothering with pleasantries or small talk. "He plans on executing you shortly after the wedding."

Link swallowed hard, though he was not shocked by the news. Zelda had kept him alive by promising to support the Usurper's rule. Once she and Ganondorf were wed and with an heir to the throne, both himself and the Princess would become irrelevant to maintaining the alleged love of the people.

"You must find a way to leave this place," she continued. He started to argue with her, to remind her of the children whose fate rested on his loyalty to Ganondorf, but she held up a hand to stop him. "Those who remain loyal to me have assured me your friends are safe and out of the kingdom. For now, they cannot be touched."

Link breathed a sigh of relief, though he did not dare rely on those words completely. Some claimed to be loyal to Zelda, it was true, but it was impossible to know if their loyalties were real or part of Ganondorf's tricks."I don't see how I could find a way out either way," he spoke aloud, thinking things would have been so, so much easier had Midna not fallen. Had she still been here, he could have gotten out of the mess months ago...No, he could not think like that. He needed to focus on the present, and on the problems of the present. "And if he wants me dead, why let me out of the dungeons?"

"To toy with you," Zelda answered softly. "To lure us both into a false sense of security." She shut her eyes and breathed deeply. "If you value your life, you will find a way out of this place." He started to speak once more, but she had turned to face the statue once more. "You must go," she said, her voice barely audible. "Leave me before we are both discovered."

Reluctantly, Link left Zelda to her thoughts and returned to the interior of the castle. She had stated the village children were safe, but he could not rely on that. How could she know she was being told the truth about matters? And how could anyone inside of the castle have that information? And if Ganondorf were to discover the culprit, he could no doubt extract the information he needed from them...

If he escaped, though, he could find them, could return them to safety, could ensure their safety himself if need be. But he would also be hunted down as soon as he was discovered to be missing. Ralis would lose his head. Link would no doubt lose his own, and then what hope did any of them have?

He stepped into the room the Demon King had so generously given him and punched the wall, biting his lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain. Even if he could find a way out, it was far, far too risky for too many people. At least in the castle, he could keep an eye on Ganondorf, be privy to his plans, perhaps even find a way to get information to the outside.

He may have been the cause of several deaths, but he was going to make damn sure future ones were prevented, and he could not do that if he was hunted down by Ganondorf's minions. He lay down and shut his eyes tightly, wondering what sort of sick game he had found himself a part of, and hoping beyond all hope that good would triumph over evil.

"You allowed this to happen," he prayed, to the Goddesses he was not entirely sure he believed in keeping his voice low. The castle walls were thick, but the king's spies were everywhere. "Now help us fix it."


End file.
